Optical structure with ridges arranged at the same and method for producing the same

ABSTRACT

An apparatus having an optical structure and ridges is described, wherein the ridges connect the optical structure to a supporting structure and wherein the optical structure is able to perform a movement in relation to a reference plane.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of copending InternationalApplication No. PCT/EP2014/060724, filed May 23, 2014, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and additionallyclaims priority from German Application No. 10 2013 209 814.6, filed May27, 2013, which is also incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus having an opticalstructure and ridges connecting the optical structure to a supportingstructure, wherein the optical structure is able to perform a movementwith regard to a reference plane, and the invention also describespossible adjustments for the apparatus.

Optical structures made of curable material, as are known, for example,from DE 102009055080 A1, change their characteristics with varyingenvironmental temperatures. Thus, a polymer lens changes its extensionwith varying temperature, such that the refractive index and thecurvature of the optical lens are also changed. This can have the effectthat an optical device, such as a camera or a projector, provides avarying image capturing and/or image reproduction quality.

For compensating a varying image reproduction and/or image capturingquality, lenses and/or lens groups used in optical equipment arereadjusted for compensating a thermally induced variation of a focallength of the optical equipment. For this, actuators, such as movingcoil drives, piezo motor drives or other motor drives are used. Also,liquid lenses are used which allow a variation of the lens curvature.However, these methods necessitate active adjustment of the focal lengthof the optical system.

As a result of variations in the manufacturing process of opticalcomponents, the parameters of the components, in particular the focallength of the lenses, vary. If the components are joined to more complexstructures together with further components, the target parameters ofthe assembly, for example an objective, might not be obtained. In orderto ensure optimum functionality, the components have to be readjustedafter joining in order to ensure optimum orientation of the individualcomponents and hence compensation of inaccuracies occurring as aconsequence of production and joining tolerances. The main target ofadjustment is, for example, optimum orientation of the image plane of alens or a lens stack with regard to a predetermined image plane, whereinat least one optoelectronic image converter, a so-called imager,resides.

Lenses or lens groups, such as objectives, are cased in one or severalhousing parts, among others including an external thread. A holderhaving a corresponding internal thread can be inserted in one or severalhousing parts, wherein a specific distance, mostly an optimum focalposition, is adjusted. After the adjustment has been performed, theposition is possibly fixed, for example by an adhesive which can beimplemented in a UV-curable manner. In this way, the overall opticalstructure is adjusted via additional apparatuses that are to beintroduced specifically and that are implemented exclusively for thisstep.

For realizing the autofocus function, among others, voice coil motorsare used. The same consist of many individual parts and cannot beproduced in wafer level technology.

SUMMARY

According to a first embodiment, an apparatus may have: an opticalstructure; at least two ridges, each connecting the optical structure toa supporting structure; wherein the ridges are implemented to effect, byheating the ridges, deformation of the ridges and a movement of theoptical structure with regard to a reference plane; wherein the at leasttwo ridges include a first layer and a second layer that are deflectabledifferently in relation to one another; wherein the optical structureincludes a layer, wherein the layer of the optical structure and thefirst layer of the ridges are formed of the same material; wherein theoptical structure includes a further layer, wherein the further layer ofthe optical structure and the second layer of the ridges are formed ofthe same material; wherein the layer of the optical structure and thefirst layer of the ridges are integrated and the further layer of theoptical structure and the second layer of the ridges are integrated;wherein the supporting structure includes a portion of the ridgematerial, wherein the movement of the optical structure with regard tothe reference plane counteracts a thermally induced change of an opticalcharacteristic of the optical structure; and wherein the first layer andthe second layer include different coefficients of thermal expansion.

According to another embodiment, a method for producing an apparatushaving an optical structure with at least two ridges, each connectingthe optical structure to a supporting structure, may have the steps of:forming the ridges by providing a first layer and a second layer, suchthat the first layer and the second layer are differently deflectable inrelation to each other, in order to effect, when heating the ridges, adeformation of the ridges and a movement of the optical structure inrelation to a reference plane; providing an optical structure includinga layer and a further layer, such that the layer of the opticalstructure and the first layer of the ridges are integrated and areformed of the same material, and such that the further layer of theoptical structure and the second layer of the ridges are integrated andformed of the same material; and providing the supporting structure,such that the supporting structure includes a portion of the ridgematerial; such that the movement of the optical structure with regard toa reference plane counteracts a thermally induced change of an opticalcharacteristic of the optical structure; and such that the first layerand the second layer include different coefficients of thermalexpansion.

According to a first aspect of embodiments described below, an opticalapparatus is provided which is able to counteract variations of opticalcharacteristics caused by temperature variations in a self-regulatingmanner and independent of further actuators. Apparatuses can beminiaturized and can be produced in wafer level technology, so that asmaller construction size and/or lower production costs can be obtained.According to this aspect, apparatuses can, for example, compensateproduction tolerances and/or can allow variable focusing duringoperation of the optical overall system by inducing heat, so thatfurther focusing mechanical members are substituted.

According to the first aspect, an apparatus includes an opticalstructure having at least two ridges that are implemented to allow amovement of the optical structure with regard to a reference plane.According to the first aspect, a method includes the implementation ofridges such that the same allow a movement of an optical structurearranged at the same, which counteracts a thermally induced variation ofthe optical characteristic of the optical structure.

According to the first aspect, the fact is exploited that the thermallyinduced variation. for example of polymer elements of an opticalstructure, can be compensated by using the thermally induced mechanicalvariations occurring simultaneously in the ridges in order to counteractthe variation of the optical characteristic of the optical structure.

According to an embodiment, the ridges are structured in asingle-layered manner. In this case, the ridges can consist of the samematerial as the optical structure suspended from the ridges, allowing asimplified production. The material can have a higher coefficient ofthermal expansion than the supporting structure surrounding the opticalstructure, which leads, during a temperature increase, to a movement ofthe optical structure in a direction along the optical axis. Thedirection of movement of the optical structure is defined by a curvatureof the ridges lying in the plane in which the optical axis of theoptical structure lies.

According to an alternative embodiment, the ridges are structured in amulti-layered manner, which allows a straight, non-curved implementationof the ridges, and the combination of ridge materials can be formedindependent of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the surroundingsupport structure at which the ridges are mounted, since the bending ofthe ridges is performed by the different coefficients of thermalexpansion of the ridge materials. Decoupling of mechanical and opticalcharacteristics of the layer material can also be obtained when thelayers are arranged discontinuously and in more than two layers.

According to an embodiment, the longitudinal center lines of the ridgesintersect the optical axis of the optical structure and the ridges areconnected to the optical structure at the end. According to analternative embodiment, the longitudinal center lines of the ridges donot intersect the optical axis of the structure and the ridges arelaterally connected to the optical structure via protrusions. The latterexample allows a larger longitudinal extension of the ridges and hencethe enlargement of the obtainable travel range of the optical structure.

Further embodiments show the option of arranging electrical heatingelements at the ridges. This allows a deflection of the ridges and hencea positioning of the optical structure in dependence on an inducedtemperature and independent of the environmental temperature which can,among other things, be used for active focusing of varying objectdistances, or an autofocus. By varying deflections of the ridges,tilting of the optical structure or controlled focusing of the opticalstructure can also be obtained. In particular, a control (not shown) canbe provided or can at least be connected, which either controls theheating elements, in order to focus a known object distance, orregulates how, for example in dependence on an evaluation of a signaldependent on the optical characteristic of the optical structure, suchas the sharpness of an image captured in an image plane, which isdefined at least partly by the optical structure, such as a lens systemcomprising the lens suspended on the ridges.

A second aspect of embodiments described below relates to a conceptwhich enables maintaining an initial position of an optical structureafter performed adjustment to become easier, for example withoutarranging threads or introducing allocated further mechanical componentsin housing structures, so that the termination of the adjustment, forexample during production, is made easier.

According to the second aspect, an apparatus includes at least tworidges connecting an optical structure to a supporting structure and atwhich an annealable adhesive is arranged which effects fixing of apredetermined orientation of the optical structure. According to thesecond aspect, a method includes forming ridges such that the same allowa movement of an optical structure arranged at the same, whichcounteracts a thermally induced variation of the optical characteristicof the optical structure, arranging an annealable adhesive between thesupporting structure and the ridges as well as annealing the adhesive inorder to effect a predetermined orientation of the optical structurewith regard to a reference plane.

According to the second aspect, the fact is exploited that ridges, bymeans of an adhesive arranged between the ridges and the supportingstructure, obtain deflection of the optical structure to an initialadjustment and by annealing of the adhesive, the adjusted initialposition after annealing the adhesive from the optical structure ismaintained.

A third and fourth aspect of embodiments described below solve theobject of providing a concept for optical apparatuses which is able toinduce movements into an optical structure connected to a frame viaridges independent of the environmental temperature and with highdynamics, wherein the actuators used for this are miniaturized and canbe produced in wafer level technology, so that a smaller structural sizeand/or lower production costs can be obtained. According to theseaspects, apparatuses can compensate, for example, production tolerancesand/or can allow a variable focusing during operation of the opticaloverall system.

According to the third aspect an apparatus includes at least two ridgesconnecting an optical structure to a supporting structure and anelectrostatic drive having first and second electrodes that are arrangedat least partly opposed to one another, and the first electrode beingarranged on one of the ridges in order to cause deformation of theridges when an electric field is applied between the first and secondelectrodes. According to the third aspect, a method includes theformation of ridges such that the same allow a movement of an opticalstructure arranged at the same, an arrangement of the first electrode ator in one of the ridges and an arrangement of the second electrode suchthat the same at least partly opposes the first one and an electricfield between the first and second electrodes causes a deformation ofthe ridges.

According to the third aspect of embodiments described below the fact isexploited that an electrostatic drive having first and second electrodescan be arranged at at least one of the ridges such that applying anelectric field between the first and second electrodes of theelectrostatic drive causes deformation of the ridge.

According to an embodiment, a first electrode of an electrostatic driveis arranged at the ridges connecting an optical structure to asupporting structure and a second electrode is arranged at a moldcomponent joined to the supporting structure.

According to an alternative embodiment, the second electrode of theelectrostatic drive is arranged at the supporting structure so that thearrangement of a mold component can be omitted.

According to an embodiment, the first electrode is arranged at a surfaceof the ridge and spaced apart from the second electrode via an isolationlayer. According to an alternative embodiment, the first electrode isembedded in the ridge so that the ridge material covering the firstelectrode simultaneously operates as isolation layer.

According to the fourth aspect, an apparatus includes at least tworidges connecting an optical structure to a supporting structure and anelectrostatic drive having first and second electrodes arranged at leastpartly opposite to one another, the first electrode being arranged on atleast part of the ridges and this part of the ridge being at leastpartly deflected in the direction of the second electrode from a planein which the ridge is arranged in order to effect a deformation of theridges when an electric field is applied between the first and secondelectrodes.

According to the fourth aspect, a method comprises the formation ofridges such that the same allow a movement of an optical structurearranged at the same, the arrangement of the first electrode at or inone of the ridges and an arrangement of the second electrode such thatthe same at least partly opposes the first one, as well as deflection ofthe first electrode in the direction of the second electrode so that anelectric field between the first and second electrodes causesdeformation of the ridges.

According to the fourth aspect, the fact is exploited that anelectrostatic drive having first and second electrodes can be arrangedat at least one of the ridges, a portion of the ridge being formed as aninner part is deflected from the plane of the residual ridge in thedirection of the second electrode and that applying an electric fieldbetween the first and second electrodes of the electrostatic drivecauses a deformation of the ridge.

Embodiments of the invention will be discussed in more detail below. Inthe figures, the same or equal elements are provided with the samereference numbers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequentlyreferring to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1a is a cross-sectional illustration of an apparatus having a lensmounted on a supporting structure via two ridges;

FIG. 1b is a theoretical state of the apparatus having a lens whoseoptical characteristic is changed by thermal influences;

FIG. 1c is a state of the apparatus having a lens moved from theoriginal position whose movement counteracts the change of the opticalcharacteristic;

FIGS. 2a-b are schematic cross-sectional views having alternative lensshapes, wherein FIG. 2a shows a plano-convex lens and FIG. 2b aconcavo-convex lens;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of single-layered ridges having acurvature;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus havingthree-layered ridges;

FIGS. 5a-d are schematic side views of different embodiments oftwo-layered lenses and ridges, wherein FIG. 5a shows the discontinuousarrangement of a second material layer at the lens and the ridges forbuilding a three-layered overall structure, FIG. 5b an apparatusanalogous to FIG. 5a having ridges including a discontinuous curve ofthe thickness, FIG. 5c an apparatus of an integral second material layerincluding discontinuous changes of the layer thickness, and FIG. 5d anapparatus analogous to FIG. 5c wherein the layer thicknesses in the areaof the ridges include a continuous change;

FIG. 6a is a schematic side view of a collecting two-layered lens havinga constant thickness of the second layer;

FIG. 6b is a schematic side view of a collecting two-layered lens havinga symmetrical layer thickness curve of the first and second layers;

FIG. 6c is a schematic side sectional view of a collecting two-layeredlens having a constant thickness of the first layer;

FIG. 6d is a schematic side sectional view of a diffusing two-layeredlens, wherein the first layer is implemented in the form of a collectinglens and the second layer in a variable layer thickness is arranged atthe first layer;

FIG. 6e is a schematic side sectional view of a diffusing two-layeredlens analogous to FIG. 6d , wherein the first layer is implemented inthe form of a plano-convex lens;

FIG. 6f is a schematic side sectional view of a diffusing two-layeredlens, wherein the second layer is implemented in the form of aconcavo-convex lens;

FIG. 7 is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and four ridges,wherein the longitudinal center lines of the ridges intersect theoptical axis of the lens;

FIG. 8 is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and two ridges,wherein the longitudinal center lines of the ridges intersect theoptical axis of the lens;

FIG. 9 is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and diagonallyarranged ridges;

FIG. 10 is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and four ridges,wherein the longitudinal center lines of the ridges run past the opticalaxis of the lens;

FIG. 11 is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and two ridges,wherein the longitudinal center lines run past the optical axis of thelens;

FIG. 12 is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and three ridges,wherein the longitudinal center lines of the ridges run past the opticalaxis of the lens;

FIG. 13 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 7, whereinelectric heating elements are arranged at the ridges;

FIG. 14 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 8, whereinelectric heating elements are arranged at the ridges;

FIG. 15 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 9, whereinelectric heating elements are arranged at the ridges;

FIG. 16 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 10, whereinelectric heating elements are arranged at the ridges;

FIG. 17 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 11, whereinelectric heating elements are arranged at the ridges;

FIG. 18 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 12, whereinelectric heating elements are arranged at the ridges;

FIG. 19 is a schematic top view of an apparatus having four lensesconnected to the supporting structure via four ridges each;

FIG. 20 is a schematic top view of an apparatus having four lensesconnected to the supporting structure via four ridges each and whereinthe supporting structure includes a circumferential frame of at leastone material of the ridges;

FIG. 21 is a top view of an apparatus having four lenses connected tothe supporting structure via four ridges each, the supporting structureincluding a circumferential frame of at least one material of the ridgesand the supporting structure further including recesses;

FIG. 22 is a top view of an apparatus having four lenses connected tothe supporting structure via four ridges each, and wherein thesupporting structure is completely formed of a circumferential frame ofat least one material of the ridges;

FIG. 23 is a top view of an apparatus having four lenses connected tothe supporting structure via four ridges each, and wherein thesupporting structure is completely formed of a circumferential frame ofat least one material of the ridges and the supporting structureincludes recesses;

FIG. 24 is a top view of an apparatus having a lens field connected tothe supporting structure via eight ridges;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus wherein asingle-layered co-moving lens forms a lens stack together with themoving lens;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus wherein a two-layeredco-moving lens forms a lens stack together with the moving lens and theco-moving lens has a larger distance to a reference plane than themoving lens;

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus wherein the co-movingtwo-layered lens of the lens stack has a lower distance to a referenceplane than the moving lens;

FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having a lens stackwherein the lens stack includes an adhesive layer;

FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus wherein the twodifferent lens stacks are connected to the supporting structure;

FIGS. 30a-b are two cross-sectional views of an apparatus each where astationary lens is arranged at the supporting structure, wherein FIG.30a shows the arrangement of the moving lens at a lower distance andFIG. 30b at a greater distance to the reference plane;

FIGS. 31a-b are two cross-sectional views with one apparatus each havinga moving and a stationary lens, wherein a circumferential frame of atleast one material of the ridges is formed at the supporting structure,wherein FIG. 31a shows the arrangement of the moving lens at a smallerdistance and FIG. 31b at a greater distance to the reference plane;

FIGS. 32a-b are two cross-sectional views with one apparatus each,wherein the stationary lens includes a glass layer and the cross-sectionof the supporting structure changes across the curve of the layer stack,wherein FIG. 32a shows the arrangement of the moving lens at a smallerdistance and FIG. 32b at a greater distance to the reference plane;

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus where the stationarylens includes a glass layer and the moving lens as well as thecircumferentially arranged spacer structure consist of the samematerial;

FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus where the stationarylens is arranged on a glass layer, the areas around the opticalfunctional area of the stationary lens are discontinuously formed andthe moving lens as well as the circumferentially arranged spacerstructure consist of the same material;

FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having one moving andtwo stationary lenses, wherein the stationary lenses each comprise aglass layer and continuously formed areas around the optical functionalarea of the stationary lens and spacer structures of a differentmaterial than the optical functional areas are formed between lenslayers;

FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having one moving andtwo stationary lenses, wherein the stationary lenses each include aglass layer and discontinuously formed area around the opticalfunctional area of the stationary lens;

FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus where the moving lensand the ridges arranged at the same are integrally formed of onematerial, and in the residual apparatus only different materials areformed;

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus where the individualparts of the supporting structure are joined by an adhesive layer;

FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having one moving andtwo stationary lenses each comprising a glass layer, wherein thesupporting structure includes an adhesive layer;

FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 30having a moving lens, a co-moving lens arranged at the same and astationary lens having short ridges arranged at the supporting structurewithout a glass layer;

FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 40,wherein the stationary lens, the continuously formed areas arranged atthe same and the supporting structure include a glass layer laterally tothe stationary lens and the continuously formed areas;

FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 40,wherein the supporting structure includes an adhesive layer in the areabetween the moving and the stationary lens;

FIG. 43 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 41,wherein the supporting structure includes an adhesive layer analogous toFIG. 42;

FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 42,wherein the structures connecting the moving and the co-moving lensinclude an adhesive layer;

FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 44,wherein the stationary lens includes a glass layer analogous to FIG. 43and the structures connecting the moving and the co-moving lens includean adhesive layer;

FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 44,wherein an additional internal frame analogous to FIG. 31 of at leastone material of the ridges is also arranged and joined by an adhesivelayer;

FIG. 47a is a block diagram of the method for fixing an initial positionof the lens by means of adhesive;

FIG. 47b is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus during the method forfixing a new initial position with a method according to FIG. 47 a;

FIG. 47c is a cross-sectional view showing the method step of arrangingadhesive between the ridges and the supporting structure;

FIG. 48 is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and four ridges,wherein adhesive is arranged at the ridges;

FIG. 49 is a perspective view of an apparatus having a lens and ridges,wherein the ridges have a concavo-convex cross-section;

FIGS. 50a-c are cross-sectional views of an apparatus having a lens andridges as well as a supporting structure which is implemented such thatadhesive can be arranged at the same, wherein FIG. 50a shows aconvexo-convex lens, FIG. 50b a plano-convex lens, and FIG. 50c aconvexo-concave lens;

FIGS. 51a-b are cross-sectional views of an apparatus having a lensstack and ridges as well as a supporting structure which is implementedsuch that adhesive can be arranged at the same, wherein FIG. 51a showsthe arrangement of the moving lens of the stack at a lower distance andFIG. 51b at a greater distance to the reference plane;

FIGS. 52a-b are cross-sectional views of an apparatus having a lensstack and ridges as well as a supporting structure which isalternatively implemented such that adhesive can also be arranged at thesame, wherein FIG. 52a shows the arrangement of the moving lens of thestack at a lower distance and FIG. 52b at a greater distance to thereference plane;

FIG. 53 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having two lens stacksand ridges as well as a supporting structure, which is implemented suchthat adhesive can be disposed at the same with regard to both lensstacks;

FIG. 54a are cross-sectional views of a supporting structure implementedwith different widths, a stationary lens at a glass carrier, wherein thesupporting structure consists of the same material as the stationarylens at the glass carrier, as well as a moving lens arranged at ridges;

FIG. 54b is a cross-sectional view of an arrangement of two structuresanalogous to

FIG. 54a beside one another, wherein the supporting structure isarranged continuously at the glass carrier in the areas between thestructures;

FIG. 54c is a cross-sectional view of an arrangement of two structuresanalogous to

FIG. 54a beside one another, wherein the supporting structure isinterrupted in the areas between the structures and areas on the glasscarrier exist that are not covered by the supporting structure;

FIGS. 55a-b are cross-sectional views of an apparatus having asupporting structure including several widths and a glass wafer havingtwo optical structures, wherein the apparatus in FIG. 55a includes asingle-layered moving lens and the apparatus in FIG. 55b includes atwo-layered moving lens;

FIGS. 56a-b are cross-sectional views of an apparatus having asupporting structure including two glass wafers and a lens integrallyproduced with ridges, wherein a section of the supporting structure isformed adjacent to the ridges in FIG. 56a in a two-piece manner and of adifferent material than the ridges, and in FIG. 56b integrally and ofthe same material as the ridges;

FIG. 57a is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having electrostaticdrives, wherein an isolation layer is arranged at a second electrode inthe joined state;

FIG. 57b is a cross-sectional view of the unjoined partial apparatusesof the apparatus according to FIG. 57 a;

FIG. 57c is the arrangement of an annealable adhesive between the moldcomponent and the supporting structure;

FIG. 58 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus, wherein the isolationlayer is arranged at the first electrode;

FIG. 59 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus, wherein an electricvoltage is applied to the electrodes of the electrostatic drive;

FIG. 60a is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and four ridges,wherein electrodes are arranged on the ridges and the supportingstructure;

FIG. 60b is a top view of a mold component having an isolation layer,below which electrodes are arranged;

FIG. 61a is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having two ridges andan optical array in the form of several adjacent lenses having adiameter;

FIG. 61b is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 61a, wherein the optical array includes sections of lenses;

FIG. 61c is a cross-sectional view of a mold component whose innerdiameter is implemented smaller than the diameter of the optical arrayaccording to FIGS. 61a and 61 b;

FIG. 62a is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having two adjacentcells, each comprising a moving lens as well as peripheral structures;

FIG. 62b is a cross-sectional view of a mold component which isimplemented to be joined to the apparatus of FIG. 62 a;

FIG. 62c is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus according to FIG. 62aand the mold component according to FIG. 62b in the joined state havingtwo cells, each having a moving lens and two electrostatic drives;

FIG. 63a is a cross-sectional view of a mold component curved on bothsides, at which electrodes are arranged;

FIG. 63b is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus wherein two partialapparatuses are joined via the mold component curved on both sides ofFIG. 63a and wherein two sections of a supporting structure are joinedvia the mold component;

FIG. 64 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus wherein the moldcomponent and the supporting structure are integrally formed;

FIG. 65 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 7 havingelectrodes formed rectangularly at the ridges;

FIG. 66 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 65 havingelectrodes formed triangularly at the ridges;

FIG. 67 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 65 havingelectrodes formed in a free form at the ridges;

FIG. 68 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 11 havingelectrodes formed on the ridges whose outer edges run parallel to theridge edges;

FIG. 69 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 8 havingelectrodes formed triangularly at the ridges;

FIG. 70 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 9 havingelectrodes formed triangularly at the ridges;

FIG. 71 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 11 havingelectrodes formed in a free form at the ridges;

FIG. 72 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 12 havingelectrodes formed in a free form at the ridges;

FIG. 73 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus, wherein a lens stackis moved by an electrostatic drive and the lens stack includes a movingand a co-moving lens;

FIG. 74 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus, wherein a moving lensis moved by electrostatic drives with regard to a stationary lens,wherein the stationary lens is formed at a glass plate;

FIG. 75 is a cross-sectional view of two partial apparatuses joined byan adhesive layer, so that the optical axes of all lenses essentiallycoincide;

FIG. 76 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus, wherein a lens ismoved by an electrostatic drive with regard to a glass wafer including asingle-layered lens on a surface;

FIG. 77 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having severaladjacent lenses that can be moved separately with regard to a glasswafer;

FIG. 78 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus where an imageconverter is arranged at the supporting structure;

FIG. 79 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus where two lenses canbe moved separately with regard to one glass wafer and one imageconverter each;

FIG. 80 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus where an electrode isembedded in a ridge;

FIG. 81 is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and two ridges,wherein recesses in the ridges form an inner part of the ridges;

FIG. 82a is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having a lens andcantilever electrodes deflected in the direction of the staticelectrodes, wherein the static electrodes are arranged at a transparentmold component;

FIG. 82b is a cross-sectional view analogous to FIG. 82a , wherein thelens experiences deflection;

FIG. 83a is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 82a, wherein the mold component is formed as an opaque body having amaterial recess;

FIG. 83b is a cross-sectional view of a deflected lens analogous to FIG.82b with a mold component analogous to FIG. 83 a;

FIGS. 84a-c are top views of an apparatus having a lens and a ridge anddifferent formations of the inner parts of the ridges, wherein theformation in FIG. 84a is rectangular, in FIG. 84b triangular and in FIG.84c in a trapezoidal shape;

FIG. 85a is a top view of a part of an apparatus having a lens and aridge, wherein the inner part is formed analogous to FIG. 84 a;

FIG. 85b is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 85a , whereinthe inner part is formed smaller and spaced apart from the lens;

FIG. 85c is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 85a , whereinthe inner part is formed smaller and adjacent to the lens;

FIG. 85d is a top view of an apparatus wherein the ridge includes aninner part analogous to FIG. 85b and an inner part analogous to FIG. 85c;

FIG. 85e is a top view of an apparatus wherein the ridge includes aninner part whose end connected to the ridge runs parallel along thedirection of the supporting structure towards the lens;

FIG. 86a is a cross-sectional view of the unjoined partial apparatusesof an overall apparatus having a lens and two ridges at a supportingstructure as well as a mold component having stationary electrodesarranged at the same;

FIG. 86b is a cross-sectional view of the partial apparatuses analogousto FIG. 86b with adhesive arranged at the supporting structure;

FIG. 86c is a cross-sectional view of an overall apparatus joined bymeans of adhesive from the partial apparatuses analogous to FIGS. 86aand 86b with electrostatic drives, each including a cantileverelectrode;

FIGS. 87a-b are cross-sectional views of an apparatus having a lenswhich is moved analogous to FIG. 86c via cantilever electrodes of anelectrostatic drive arranged at the ridges with regard to a moldcomponent implemented as a glass plate, wherein stationary lenses arearranged at the mold component in FIG. 87 b;

FIGS. 88a-b are cross-sectional views of an apparatus having a lenswhich is moved via electrostatic drives including cantilever electrodeswith regard to an opaque mold component having material recesses,wherein the material recess in FIG. 88b includes a optical effectivearea;

FIG. 89 are cross-sectional views of an apparatus where partialapparatuses with moving lenses, stationary lenses and optical effectiveareas are joined to each other via an adhesive layer and electrostaticdrives are implemented with cantilever electrodes;

FIG. 90a are cross-sectional views of an apparatus having two adjacentcells analogous to FIG. 87, wherein the cells each include grooves;

FIG. 90b is a cross-sectional view of a mold component having twosections, wherein each section includes a mold component having anoptical effective area;

FIG. 90c is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus including theapparatus of FIG. 90a with a mold component according to FIG. 90b joinedto the same by means of adhesive;

FIG. 91a is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 61a, wherein the electrostatic drives include cantilever electrodes;

FIG. 91b is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 61b, wherein the electrostatic drives include cantilever electrodes;

FIG. 91c is a cross-sectional view of a mold component analogous to FIG.61c which is implemented in a planar manner;

FIG. 92a is a top view of an apparatus having a lens and four ridgesanalogous to FIG. 7, at the ridges and parts of the supporting structureof which rectangularly formed electrodes having an inner part arearranged;

FIG. 92b is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 92a , whereinthe supporting structure includes a circumferential frame of at leastone material of the ridges;

FIG. 93 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 7, at the ridgesof which electrodes are formed whose inner part is formed in atrapezoidal shape;

FIG. 94 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 8, at the ridgesof which electrodes are formed whose inner part is formed in atrapezoidal shape;

FIG. 95 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 10, at theridges of which electrodes are formed whose inner part is formed in arectangular manner;

FIG. 96 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 9, at the ridgesof which electrodes are formed whose inner part is formed in atrapezoidal shape;

FIG. 97 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 11, at theridges of which electrodes are formed whose inner part is formed in atrapezoidal shape;

FIG. 98 is a top view of an apparatus analogous to FIG. 12, at theridges of which electrodes are formed whose inner part is formed in atrapezoidal shape;

FIG. 99 are cross-sectional views of an apparatus where a mold componenthaving an optical effective area is joined to the supporting structurevia grooves and tongues and the electrostatic drives include acantilever electrode;

FIG. 100 are cross-sectional views of an apparatus wherein a lens ismoved by electrostatic drives including a cantilever electrode withregard to a glass wafer, on which a stationary lens is arranged, and thejoining zone between the supporting structure of the moving lens and thestructure including the counter electrode is implemented as grooves andtongues;

FIG. 101 are cross-sectional views of an overall apparatus consisting oftwo partial apparatuses, the partial apparatuses being joined via anadhesive layer and the optical axes of the moving, co-moving andstationary lenses as well as the optical effective area essentiallycoincide and the electrostatic drives including a cantilever electrodeas well as the joining zones implemented as grooves and tongues, atwhich adhesive is arranged for connecting the partial apparatuses;

FIG. 102 are cross-sectional views of an apparatus where the supportingstructure is formed of a polymer material and the lens is moved withregard to a glass wafer including a stationary lens at a surface;

FIG. 103 are cross-sectional views of an apparatus having two cells,each including a moving lens with regard to a glass wafer by means of anelectrostatic drive and the electrostatic drives including a cantileverelectrode;

FIG. 104 are cross-sectional views of an apparatus where a lens is movedby means of electrostatic drives with regard to a glass wafer and animage converter and the electrostatic drives include cantileverelectrodes;

FIG. 105 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus having two adjacentcells, each moving a lens with regard to a glass wafer and an imageconverter by means of electrostatic drives and the electrostatic drivesincluding cantilever electrodes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1a shows a cross-sectional view of an apparatus 10 according to anembodiment of the invention. The apparatus includes a lens 12 mounted ona supporting structure 16, for example a frame, via two ridges 14 a and14 b and arranged at a distance 22 to a reference plane 18 shownschematically in FIG. 1. The lens 12 and the ridges 14 a and 14 b arearranged in a common position plane 26. The reference plane 18 can, forexample, represent an image plane where the image sensor comprised bythe apparatus 10 is arranged. The distance 22 is selected according tothe focal length of the lens 12. The ridges 14 are structured in asingle-layered manner of a material including a greater coefficient ofthermal expansion than the supporting structure 16. In case of atemperature increase, the ridges consequently expand particularly alongthe direction from the supporting structure 16 towards the lens 12 morethan the supporting structure and can hence effect a deflection of thelens from the original position. The direction of movement is definedindependent of the materials, for example via a curvature, as isexplained in FIG. 3.

FIG. 1b shows the lens 12 shown in FIG. 1a in the case of a temperatureincrease, for example of the environmental temperature. The increase intemperature causes a deformation of the lens 12 causing an altered lenscurvature and additionally a change of the refractive index and hence achanged focal length of the lens 12. In FIG. 1 b, the dotted line 24indicates the original shape of the lens 12. As indicated, the increasein temperature has effected a thickening of the lens and additionally areduction in the refractive index which, on the one hand, reduces thedistance 22 between the lens 12 and the reference plane 18 and, as aconsequence of the changed surface curvature and the simultaneous changein the refractive index, results in a changed focal length of the lens12. This has the effect that the resulting focus of the lens indicatedby the dotted line 22 a lies outside the reference plane 18.

A change in the optical characteristic of the lens 12 caused by anincrease in the environmental temperature, as was described in theintroductory part of the description of the present application iscompensated in that the ridges are implemented such that the temperatureincrease causes a movement of the ridges 14 a and 14 b and hence of thelens 12, which counteracts the change in the optical characteristic. Inthe embodiment described in FIGS. 1a -b, the ridges 14 a and 14 b effecta movement of the lens 12 away from the reference plane 18, so that theoriginal position of the focus of the lens 12 is maintained independentof the temperature variation. The ridges 14 a and 14 b are implementedsuch that a temperature variation, for example a temperature increase,results in a deformation of the ridges 14 a and 14 b, which themselvesresult in a movement or a thermally influenced position of the lens 12.The thermally induced change in the length of the ridges 14 a and 14 bresults in a movement of the lens 12 in the direction outside theoriginal position plane 26 along the optical axis 28 of the lens 12.Suitable dimensioning of the ridges 14 a and 14 b has the effect thatthe lens 12 is moved such that the unsuitably focused focal length ofthe lens 12 is focused again on the reference plane 18. Thus,athermization of the apparatus 10 is achieved.

In the following, embodiments for the implementation of the ridges 14 aand 14 b will be discussed in more detail which allow the compensationof the optical characteristic of the lens 12. Here, it should be notedthat the above and the following explanations are in the context of atemperature increase, but the described approach applies analogously fora temperature drop.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment for implementing the ridges 14 a and 14b as a single-layered structure. The lens 12 is mounted on thesupporting structure 16 via the ridges 14 a and 14 b. Due to thesingle-layered implementation of the ridges 14 a and 14 b, integralimplementation of the ridges 14 a, 14 b and the lens 12 becomespossible. FIG. 2a shows a plano-convex lens 12 and FIG. 2b aconcavo-convex lens 12. The lens can have any possible implementation,such as concave, convex, biconcave, biconvex, concavo-convex,convexo-concave or a planar side.

FIG. 3 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a perspective view. Thesingle-layered ridges 14 a and 14 b have a curvature along theirgeometry in the plane 32, including the optical axis 28 of the lens 12.If the temperature increases and the lens 12 and the ridges 14 a and 14b are heated, the curvature of the ridges 14 a and 14 b in the presentembodiment defines a movement of the lens along the optical axis 28 awayfrom the reference plane 18, wherein the lens maintains its orientationto the reference plane 18. If the ridges 14 a and 14 b were implementedin a straight manner, the direction of movement of the lens 12 would beundefined in the case of a temperature variation. A direction ofmovement of the lens 12 directed towards the reference plane 18 in thecase of a temperature increase can be obtained by changing theimplementation of the curvature of the ridges 14 a and 14 b. Anadvantage of this embodiment is the implementation of lens 12 and theridges 14 a and 14 b of one material, wherein the implementation cantake place integrally. An integral implementation can result in a greatsimplification of the production process of the lens 12 and the ridges14 a and 14 b since joining of different components can be omitted. Suchan arrangement can be produced as a simple multiplier at wafer level,allowing significant cost reduction.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment for implementing the ridges 14 a and 14 b asa three-layered structure. The ridge 14 a is formed of a first layer 34a and a second layer 36 a. The ridge 14 b is formed of a first layer 34b and a second layer 36 b. The second material layers 36 a and 36 b areformed discontinuously on the first material layers 34 a and 34 b andboth spaced apart from the lens 12 and from the supporting structure 16.However, the same can also be implemented across the whole firstmaterial layers 34 a and 34 b and can be arranged at the lens 12 or thesupporting structure 16. A discontinuous layer structure allows attuningthe mechanical characteristics of the second material layers 36 a and 36b with regard to the deflection of the ridges during a temperaturevariation. Also, the coefficients of thermal expansion of the materialsof which the ridges 14 are formed can be implemented independent of thecoefficient of thermal expansion of the supporting structure 16, sinceamplitude and direction of movement are defined by the differentcoefficients of thermal expansion of the material layers 34 and 36 andthe material layers 34 and 36 expand differently during a temperatureincrease. Also, further material layers 37 a; 37 b which extend the modeof operation of the ridges 14 can be arranged at the ridges.

FIGS. 5a-d show an apparatus 20 where both the ridges 14 a and 14 b andthe lens 12 include two material layers or two material layers form boththe ridges and the lens. FIG. 5a shows an arrangement of the secondmaterial layers 36 a and 36 b on the first material layers 34 a and 34 banalogous to FIG. 4, wherein the material layers 34 a, 34 b and 34 cform a first layer of the arrangement and the material layers 36 a and36 b form a second layer of the arrangement. Up to the end of the ridges14 a and 14 b facing away from the lens 12, the material layers 34 a and34 b are covered with the second material layer 36 a and 36 b. The lens12 is also formed of a first material layer 34 c and a second materiallayer 36 c discontinuously attached to the same, wherein the materiallayer 36 c extends into an area of the ridges 14 a and 14 b. Thematerial layer 36 c is arranged on a side of the material layers 34 a,34 b and 34 c facing away from the layers 36 a and 36 b, and therebyrepresents a third layer of the overall structure. Due to thediscontinuous arrangement of the additional ridge layers 36 a, 36 b andthe additional lens material 36 c as well as the three-layeredstructure, optical characteristics of the lens 12 can be defined in amanner decoupled from the mechanical characteristics of the ridges 14 aand 14 b.

In FIG. 5b , the layers 34 a and 34 b of the ridges 14 a and 14 bexhibit a discontinuous increase in the layer thickness. At the areas ofthe layers 34 a and 34 b increased in that way, the second materiallayers 36 a and 36 b are arranged and take on a mechanical function.Contrary to FIG. 5a , the layer 36 c forming the third layer of thestructure is merely implemented in the area of the lens 12, whereby thedeformation of the ridges is merely defined by the ridge materials 34 a,34 b, 36 a and 36 b.

In FIG. 5c , the material layers 36 a, 36 b and 36 c are integrallyformed and arranged at the material layers 34 a, 34 b and 34 c and henceform a two-layered overall structure. The layers 34 a, 34 b, 36 a and 36b exhibit a discontinuous change in the layer thickness which can, forexample, have mechanical reasons.

FIG. 5d shows an apparatus according to FIG. 5c , wherein thethicknesses of the layers 34 a, 34 b, 36 a and 36 b continuously changeacross an area of the ridges 14 a and 14 b and exhibit a constant layerthickness in a different area facing away from the lens 12.

FIG. 6 represents different embodiments of two-layered ridges 14 a and14 b as well as two-layered lenses 12, wherein FIGS. 6a-c each show acollecting lens 12 and FIGS. 6d-f a diffusing lens. The ratio of thethickness of the first layer 34 a-c to the second layer 36 a-c isarbitrary. Thus, one of the two layers 34 a-c and 36 a-c can have aconstant thickness, like layer 34 a-c in FIG. 6c , or a varyingthickness, such as layer 36 a-c in FIG. 6f . Also, layers 34 a-c and 36a-c can each have a constant ratio of the thicknesses to one another, asin FIG. 6b where the ratio is 1:1.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of an apparatus 30 with an embodiment where thelens 12 is connected to a supporting structure 16 via four ridges 14a-d. The ridges 14 a-d are arranged such that their longitudinal centerlines 38 a-d intersect the optical axis 28 of the lens 12 and the ridges14 a-d oppose each other in pairs and the angles 42 a-c form a rightangle between two adjacent longitudinal center lines 38 a-d. In thisembodiment, the ridges 14 a-d lead at a right angle to the supportingstructure 16 formed with a planar surface, so that the angles 44 a-dbetween the outer edge of the ridges 14 a-d and the supporting structure16 as well as between the longitudinal center lines 46 a-d and thesupporting structure 16 each form a right angle.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 7, where merely two ridges14 a and 14 b are arranged in an opposing manner and connect the lens 12to the supporting structure 16. In this case, the longitudinal centerlines form an angle 42 of 180 degrees to one another.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 8, wherein the ridges 14 aand 14 b are arranged diagonally to the supporting structure 16 and leadto two areas of the supporting structure each, wherein the angles 46 a,46 a, 48 a and 48 b form an angle differing from 90 degrees.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment as an alternative to FIGS. 7 and 8, wherethe ridges 14 a-d are arranged such that they lead diagonally to thesupporting structure 16, so that the angles 44 a-d and 46 a-d form anangle differing from 90 degrees and their longitudinal center lines 38a-d run past the optical axis 28 of the lens 12. On their ends facingthe lens 12, the ridges 14 a-d comprise formations 48 a-d connecting theridges 14 a-d to the lens 12.

Compared to FIGS. 7-9, such an embodiment allows a greater longitudinalexpansion of the ridges 14. The greater longitudinal extension can beused to obtain a greater obtainable travel range of the ridges 14, sincethe amplitude of the deflection of the lens 12 mounted on the ridges 14along the optical axis 28 depends on the length of the ridges 14.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment as an alternative to FIG. 10, wherein merelytwo ridges 14 a and 14 b which are offset and parallel to each otherconnect the lens 12 to the supporting structure via formations 48 a and48 b.

FIG. 12 shows a further embodiment according to FIGS. 10 and 11, whereinthree ridges 14 a-c arranged symmetrically around the lens 12 connectthe lens 12 to the supporting structure via formations 48 a-c.

The number of ridges and their arrangement can basically be arbitraryfor use of the ridges 14. Here, it should be noted that, although theabove and below embodiments describe a straight implementation of theridges 14 along the curve from the supporting structure 16 to the lens12, also another implementation, for example curved in a lateraldirection, i.e. in a projection along the layer thickness direction orthe optical axis, is possible. In this case the angles 44 and 46 canhave differing values. Also in all embodiments, a rectangular or squareimplementation of the layout of the supporting structure 16 on thereference plane 18 is illustrated. However, the formation of thegeometry of the supporting structure is generally arbitrary.

FIG. 13 shows the apparatus of FIG. 7 where heating elements 52 a-j arearranged on a side of the ridges 14 a-d. The heating elements 52 a-jcan, for example, be implemented electrically in the form of ohmictraces and are implemented to heat the ridges 14 a-d locally andindependent of the environmental temperature and can thereby effect adeflection of the ridges 14 a-d and hence a movement of the lens 12. Theshape of the heating elements can be straight, like the heating elements52 c and 52 f, or have a rectangular curve, such as the heating element52 a. Alternatively, a meandering implementation of one or severalheating elements 52 a-j is possible. At each ridge 14 a-d, anelectrically conductive collecting ridge 54 a-d is arranged, to whichthe heating elements 52 a-j arranged on the ridges 14 a-d lead. In thisembodiment, contacting the heating elements 52 a-j is performed at thestationary end of the ridges 14 a-d and adjacent to the supportingstructure 16, it can, however, be performed at any location of theelectrodes. The heating elements 52 a-j can both be implementeddifferently or be supplied with different electric potentials andcurrents, so that an individual heating performance can be adjusted foreach heating element 52 a-j.

FIGS. 14-18 show apparatuses analogous to FIGS. 7-12, wherein theabove-described heating elements 52 and collecting ridges 54 arearranged at one side of the ridges 14. The electric heating elements 52can be deposited or sputtered onto the ridges 14 by a printing method orvapor deposition by means of a template.

FIG. 19 shows an apparatus 30 having four lenses 12 a-d each connectedto the supporting structure 16 via ridges 14 a-d, 14 e-h, 14 i-l and 14m-p. Each of the cells 56 a-d enclosed by the supporting structure 16represents an apparatus analogous to FIG. 7. In areas where lightremains uninfluenced by lenses 12 a-d, ridges 14 a-p or the supportingstructure 16, passageways 58 a-p result. The supporting structure 16 isformed of a light-absorbing material and represents, for each cell 56a-d, a barrier for light processed in an adjacent cell 56 a-d by thelens located therein.

FIG. 20 shows the apparatus 30 where the ridges 14 a-d, 14 e-h, 14 i-land 14 m-p arranged within a cell each lead to a part of the supportingstructure 16 implemented as a circumferential frame 62 a-d andconsisting of at least one material of which the ridges 14 a-p areformed. The frames 62 a-d are attached to the light-absorbing materialof the supporting structure 16. This embodiment can allow a simplercontacting of the ridges 14 a-p with the supporting structure, since nodirect material transition exists between the ridges 14 a-b and thesupporting structure 16, but the material transition is implementedbetween the frame 62 and the light-absorbing material, wherein the frame62 a-d abuts without a gap on the residual supporting structure 16 andthe cells are arranged adjacent to one another.

FIG. 21 shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 20, wherein the supportingstructure 16 includes recesses 64 a-e, so that the cells 56 a-d are onlyconnected to one another via areas of the supporting structure 16implemented as ridges 66 a-d. This allows material and hence costsavings during production of the apparatus and can also result in bettercharacteristics regarding the stability between the cells, in particularmaterial tensions in the supporting structure 16 induced by thermalvariations can be reduced. Further, separating the cells 56 a-d, whichmight be necessitated in a further processing step, can be performed ina time-saving manner since only little material has to be cut through.

FIG. 22 shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 19, wherein the supportingstructure 16 is completely formed of the frames 62 a-d. By a completeimplementation of the supporting structure 16 out of frames 62 a-d,possibly a simpler or more cost-saving production of the apparatusduring manufacturing or greater degrees of freedom when forming anoptical overall structure can result. Thus, for example along theoptical axis of the lens, further sections of the supporting structure16 can be arranged, as will be illustrated below, among others in FIGS.38 and 39. As in all previous and following embodiments, the ridges 14can be implemented in a single-layered manner, i.e. monomorphic, or in atwo-layered manner, i.e. bimorph.

FIG. 23 shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 21, wherein the supportingstructure 16 is completely formed of the frames 62 a-d and wherein therecesses 64 a-e are implemented so that the cells 56 a-d are onlyconnected to each other via areas of the supporting structure 16 or theframe 62 a-d implemented as ridges 66 a-d.

FIG. 24 shows a schematic top view of an apparatus 40 where a lens array68 is connected to the supporting structure 16 via eight ridges 14 a-hand the lens array includes a support plane 72 and nine lenses 12 a-iarranged in three rows and three columns on the support plane 72. In thepresent embodiment, the optical structure of the apparatus isimplemented as a combination of several optical elements implemented asidentical lenses 12 a-i. Basically, however, it is also possible that,as an alternative to lenses, aspheres, free-form areas, diffractivestructures, mirrors, prisms or, as illustrated, lens arrays consistingof several equal or different, also arbitrarily combinable opticalelements that have just been listed having any number of rows andcolumns, are used. If several lenses 12 are arranged in an array 68, allthe lenses 12 located thereon can be moved together across the ridges 14and, hence, deviations within the movements of individual lenses 12 canbe reduced.

In arrangements including several optical structures 12, as is shown,for example, in FIGS. 19 to 23, instead of the above-described lenses,also lens arrays 68, analogous to FIG. 24, can be arranged. Embodimentsinclude lens arrays 68, a supporting structure 16, and a circumferentialframe 62 of at least one lens material including ridges 66 betweenindividual cells 56, allowing a simple separation of the cells at theend of a production process.

FIG. 25 shows a cross-sectional view of an apparatus analogous to FIG.6, wherein at the ridges 14 a and 14 b structures 74 a and 74 b runningperpendicular to them are arranged, which position a co-moving lens 75with regard to the lens 12 such that the co-moving lens 75 is co-movedduring a deformation of the ridges 14 a and 14 b and the optical axes 28a and 28 b of the lenses 12 and 75 essentially coincide. The lenses 12and 75 form a lens stack 76 together with the structures 74 a and 74 b.In this embodiment, the structures 74 a and 74 b are integral and formedof the same material as the co-moving lens 75 and the second materiallayer 36 a and 36 b of the ridges 14 a and 14 b. By arranging theco-moving lens 75 at the ridges 14 a and 14 b, the thermally inducedchange of the focal length of the lenses 12 and 75 during a temperaturevariation can also be compensated with regard to the respective otherlens and simultaneously an additional arrangement of ridges 14 at thesupporting structure 16 can be omitted.

As is shown in FIG. 25, the structures 74 a and 74 b can be ridges.Alternatively or additionally, the structures 74 a and 74 b can also beimplemented in the form of a circumferential shape and/or contourarranged at a distance from the moving lens 12 or directly adjacent tothe lens 12 at the ridges 14 a and 14 b. A circumferential contourallows a more exact positioning of a co-moving lens 75 with regard to amoving lens 12.

FIG. 26 shows an apparatus according to FIG. 25, wherein the co-movinglens 75 is implemented in a two-layered manner and arranged furtherapart than the lens 12 with regard to the reference plane 18.

FIG. 27 shows an apparatus according to FIG. 26, wherein the co-movinglens 75 is arranged closer to the reference plane 18 compared to thelens 12. The further structures 74 a and 74 b are formed of anymaterial, among others that of the second layer 36, and are arrangedbetween the first material layer 34 a or 34 b of the ridges 14 a or 14 band the first material layer 34 d of the further lens 75, wherein thefurther structures 74 a and 74 b are formed in multiple pieces with thelenses 12 and 75.

FIG. 28 shows an apparatus according to FIGS. 25-27, wherein the furtherstructures 74 a and 74 b include an adhesive layer 78 joining thesections 77 a and 77 b or 77 c and 77 d, respectively. Joining thestructures 74 a and 74 b via an adhesive layer 78 allows the productionof the apparatus in several separate production steps.

Basically, both the lens 12 and the co-moving lens 75 can include anynumber of material layers. The lens stacks 76 can also consist of anynumber of lenses connected to one another via further structures 74. Thefurther structures 74 can be arranged at any layer of the ridges 14.

FIG. 29 shows an apparatus 50 wherein two different lens stacks 76 a and76 b are connected to the supporting structure 16 via the ridges 14 a-dand the optical axes 28 a-d of the lenses 12 a, 12 b, 75 a and 75 bessentially coincide. The direction and travel range of movement of alens stack 76 a or 76 b during a temperature variation depends on theimplementation of the ridges 14 a and 14 b or 14 c and 14 d,respectively, and is independent of the movement of the respective otherstack 76 a or 76 b.

FIG. 30a shows an apparatus of FIG. 6c where a stationary lens 79 isarranged at the supporting structure 16. The supporting structure 16includes a first portion 16 a at which the lens 12 is arranged via theridges 14 a and 14 b and a portion 16 b orienting upwards toward thefirst further portion 16 a. A diameter X1 of the first portion 16 a issmaller than a diameter X2 of the second portion 16 b, so that a gap D1defined by the first portion 16 a wherein the lens 12 and the ridges 14a and 14 b are arranged is greater than the gap D2 defined by the secondportion 16 b where the stationary lens 79 and the layers 81 a and 81 bimplemented as ridges arranged at the same are arranged. The stationarylens 79 is also mounted to the supporting structure 16 via multi-layeredridges 81 a and 81 b and has essentially the same shape as the lens 12.Due to the small gap, the layers 81 a and 81 b of the stationary lens 79are smaller than the ridges 14 a and 14 b of the lens 12, so that theridges of the stationary lens 79 cause no or only little movement of thestationary lens 79 with regard to the reference plane 18 during atemperature variation. Alternatively, the stationary lens 79 can also bemounted directly on the supporting structure 16 without the layers 81 aand 81 b. Also, the lens can have a different shape than lens 12. Thediameters X1 and X2 as well as the gaps D1 and D2 can basically have anyshape, i.e. apart from round also oval or rectangular. The stationarylens 79 is arranged at a greater distance from the reference plane 18than the moving lens 12.

FIG. 30b shows an apparatus similar to FIG. 30a , wherein the stationarylens 79 is arranged below the lens 12 and at a smaller distance from thereference plane 18 than the lens 12.

FIGS. 31a and 31b show an apparatus analogous to FIGS. 30a and 30b ,wherein a segment 82 of a lens material is arranged at the supportingstructure 16 between the lens 12 and the stationary lens 79 such that acircumferential frame results. The segment 82 is formed of a material ofwhich also one of the layers of the lenses is formed.

FIG. 32 shows an apparatus 60 analogous to the apparatus of FIGS. 30 and31. The stationary lens 79 arranged in a stationary manner at thesupporting structure 16 is structured in a two-layered manner andincludes, apart from the two material layers 34 and 36, a glass wafer 86arranged between the material layers 34 and 36 and projecting into thesupporting structure 16. With the glass wafer 86, the stationary lens 79can be extended both by further optical characteristics, for example inthe form of a diffractive grid introduced into the glass wafer 86, andby further mechanical characteristics, such as additional stiffeners.

FIG. 33 shows a side view of an apparatus 70 having a moving lens 12with the ridges 14 a and 14 b. The stationary lens 79 is formed in atwo-layered manner and includes a glass wafer 86 which implements thelens 79 in a stationary manner, despite the continuous layers 81 a-darranged at the same and which is arranged between the two materiallayers 34 and 36 of the stationary lens 79. The supporting structure 16is implemented integrally with layers 81 a and 81 b.

FIG. 34 shows the apparatus 70, wherein the layers 81 a-d arranged atthe stationary lens 79 are arranged only partly on the glass wafer 86 aswell as spaced apart from the supporting structure 16. The arrangementof the stationary lens 79 at the supporting structure is implemented viathe glass wafer 86.

FIG. 35 shows an apparatus 80 analogous to the apparatus 70 of FIG. 33,wherein further sections of the supporting structure 16 b and 16 c arearranged at the apparatus 70, which include a glass wafer 86 b and astationary lens 79 b with layers 81 e-h. The elements of the supportingstructure 16 b and 16 c are formed of a different material than thesupporting structure 16 a. By joining different supporting structures 16a-c and the combination of the lens 12 and stationary lenses 79 a and 79b, optical systems implemented in any manner can be formed. Any orderand number of moving, co-moving and stationary lenses 12, 75 and 79 canbe realized.

FIG. 36 shows the apparatus 80, where the layers 81 a-h arranged at thestationary lenses 79 a and 79 b are only partly arranged at the glasswafers 86 a and 86 b.

It is also possible for merely lenses 79 a and 79 b without layers 81 tobe arranged on the glass wafers 86 a and 86 b.

FIG. 37 shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 36, wherein the moving lens12 and the ridges 14 a and 14 b arranged at the same are formedintegrally of one material and in the residual apparatus exclusivelyother materials are implemented.

FIG. 38 shows an apparatus 70, wherein the individual parts 16 a and 16b of the supporting structure 16 are joined to one another with anadhesive layer 92.

FIG. 39 shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 37, wherein the individualparts 16 a and 16 b of the supporting structure 16 are joined to oneanother with the adhesive layer 92.

Joining parts of a supporting structure 16 by means of the adhesivelayer 92 can allow constructing structures and apparatuses whosecomponents are implemented in different partial processes. Also, anymaterial transitions within the supporting structure 16 can be formedwhen differently joined parts include different materials or layersequences.

FIG. 40 shows an apparatus 90 analogous to FIG. 30, wherein instead of alens, a lens stack 76 is arranged at the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 41 shows an apparatus 90 where the lens 79, arranged in astationary manner, includes a glass wafer 86 projecting into thesupporting structure 16.

FIG. 42 shows an apparatus 90 analogous to FIG. 40, wherein the parts 16b and 16 c of the supporting structure 16 are joined to one another viathe adhesive layer 92.

FIG. 43 shows the apparatus 90 analogous to FIG. 42, where thestationary lens 79 includes, analogous to FIG. 41, a glass waferprojecting into the supporting structure 16 and wherein the parts 16 band 16 c of the supporting structure 16 are joined to one another viathe adhesive layer 92.

FIG. 44 shows the apparatus 90 analogous to FIG. 42, wherein thestructures 74 a and 74 b include the adhesive layer 78.

FIG. 45 shows the apparatus 90 analogous to FIG. 44, wherein thestationary lens 79, analogous to FIG. 43, includes a glass wafer 86projecting into the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 46 shows an apparatus 90 analogous to FIG. 44, wherein furthersegments 82 a-d of a lens material are arranged between the moving lens12 and the stationary lens 79 and form a circumferential frame 84,wherein the segments 82 a and 82 b are joined via the adhesive layer 92and the adhesive layer 92 simultaneously joins the individual parts 16 band 16 c of the supporting structure 16.

The above embodiments, but also the embodiments described below caneasily be transferred to cases having not only one lens but anotheroptical structure, such as a diffraction grating.

The above-described embodiments emphasize the provision of an option forcompensating the temperature dependency of optical characteristics of anoptical structure, such as the temperature dependency of the focallength of the lens by monomorphic or bimorph deflection of the ridges bywhich the lens or the optical structure is suspended, so that, forexample, an image plane or intermediate image plane of an optical image,to which the lens contributes, changes its position less due totemperature variations. While the above embodiments showed a deflectionfrom the layer plane of the layer(s) forming the ridges, according towhich the optical structure is moved, for example, in a layer thicknessdirection, it would also be possible to transfer the principle also todeflections within the layer plane. Thereby, also movements other thantranslatory movements along the optical axis or tiltings could beobtained. In addition to the virtually passive compensation effect forobtaining athermization of the characteristics of the optical structure,the above-described structures can be provided with heating elements inorder to cause movement of the optical components actively andindependent of the environmental temperature.

The above embodiments can be combined with the aspect of embodimentsdescribed below, according to which annealable adhesive is used forfixing an adjustment of the position of an optical structure adjustablevia ridges. The following embodiments can also be used independently ofthe temperature compensation effect of the above embodiments.

FIG. 47a shows a schematic block diagram with regard to the adjustingand fixing of a new initial position of an optical structure 12concerning its position with regard to the reference plane 18. Step 1includes the provision of an apparatus to be adjusted including anoptical structure. Provision can also include the production of theapparatus with the optical structure 12 and the ridges 14. Duringproduction of the apparatus, an adhesive 102 to be annealed later can beintroduced into the apparatus. If the adhesive 102 is not yet arrangedat the apparatus during the provision of the apparatus, the same will bearranged at the apparatus in a second step, so that the same is arrangedbetween the ridges 14 and the supporting structure 16. In a third step,adjustment of the optical structure with regard to the reference plane18 is performed, so that a desired distance or a desired orientation ofthe lens 12 with regard to the reference plane 18 is obtained. Thedesired orientation can include, for example, an optimum focal positionof the lens 12 with regard to the reference plane 18. Adjustment isperformed by an adjusting influence 104 moving the lens 12 from itsoriginal position P1 to an adjusted position P2. This can be performed,for example, by activating heating elements disposed on the ridgesinitiating a deformation of the ridges 14. Other influences are alsopossible, for example electrostatic forces acting on the ridges, andsuch forces that are generated via electrostatic drives, such as areillustrated, for example, in FIGS. 64 and 81. It is also possible thatexternal mechanics act on the structure and cause deflection of theridges 14 and hence the lens 12 mounted thereon. During adjustment anintermediate check can be performed once or several times as to whetherthe desired orientation has been achieved. If a change in theenvironmental temperature is used for adjustment, i.e. theabove-described effect of temperature-dependent deflection ofrespectively designed ridges is used, a previously determined or knownconnection between the temperature and the optical characteristic of theoptical structure is used during adjustment in order to determine theoptimum adjustment with regard to a predetermined usage or operatingtemperature for which the optical structure is intended. If the ridgedeflection during adjustment is caused in another manner, adjustment isperformed, for example, at the operating temperature or within aninterval of permitted operating temperatures.

While maintaining the adjusted position P2, annealing of the adhesive102 is performed in a fourth step, which results in a fixing of the lens12 and the ridges 14, wherein, at the location of the annealed adhesive102, a new fixing point of the ridges 14 is formed which defines a newform of movement of the ridges 14. It could be that the lens 12, afterfixing according to the above temperature dependency, is still movableby the deformation of the ridges in the area between the new fixingpoint and the lens 12. This residual movability should be consideredduring adjustment already in the previous adjustment step. If, forexample, the ridges have been deflected by means of local heating of theridges according to an above embodiment and if the temperature forobtaining the optimum adjustment or orientation was high, it can beadvantageous, depending on the residual movability, to deflect theridges prior to fixing a little beyond the optimum deflection point inorder to avoid unnecessitated temperature control for fine adjustment ofthe lens during operation.

FIG. 47b shows an apparatus where the supporting structure 16 consistsof two sections 16 a and 16 b. The lens 12 is arranged at the portion 16a via the ridges 14 a and 14 b. The portion 16 a includes a width R1which is smaller than a width R2 of the portion 16 b of the supportingstructure oriented downwards to the first portion 16 a. A gap FF1defined by the first portion 16 a of the supporting structure is hencegreater than a gap FF2 defined by the second portion 16 b. By adjustinga new position P2 of the lens 12 differing from the original position P1with regard to the reference plane 18 by the adjusting influence 104 andannealing 106 of the adhesive 102 and removal of the adjusting influence104, the lens 12 has the adjusted position P2 as the new initialposition. The locations of the annealed adhesive 102 a and 102 b definenew fixed anchoring points of the ridges 14. A deformation of the ridges14 induced thermally or by other, for example electrostatic forces is inthis case only effected in an area L2 between the lens 12 and the fixingpoint defined by the annealed adhesive.

A residual expansion L1 of the ridges 14 has, for example, only aninsignificant effect on the positioning of the lens 12 in space. An oldsuspension point 103 a/103 b is replaced by a new suspension point 105a/105 b of the lens 12.

FIG. 47c shows an apparatus where in a step preparing for FIG. 47badhesive 102 a and 102 b is arranged between the ridges 14 a and 14 b aswell as the supporting structure in portion 16 b. Here, the portion 16 bof the supporting structure is implemented in an stationary manner withregard to the ridges 14 a and 14 b, so that the ridges 14 a and 14 b andhence the lens 12 can be adjusted with regard to the reference plane 18.

Although the adhesive 102 is implemented in a UV-curable manner in FIG.47 and the annealing 106 is performed by means of UV radiation, otherforms of adhesive, for example a thermally activatable adhesive, whichare annealed by corresponding annealing processes such as thermalprocesses, are also possible. Adjustment 104 can be performed, forexample, by activating the heating elements 52 or by another externalforce. If adjustment is performed by means of temperature, either by theenvironmental temperature or by activating the heating elements,fixation by means of adhesives can be implemented such that the samecompensates both the production tolerances of the overall structure andthe re-deformation of the ridges that might occur when the adjustingtemperature is taken back and the ridges are cooled down to the regularenvironmental temperature. This re-deformation can possibly result in arenewed shift of the lens from its intended target position.

Alternatively, it is also possible that adjustment is performed byelectrostatic drives where forces act on the ridges such that the targetposition of the lens is obtained and fixed by the adhesive.Alternatively, also, an external force, such as by a grip or anotherexternal device, can be used for deflection and adjustment of the lens.

The above-described shortening of the ridge length, which will beeffective later during operation, to the length L2 generated by the newfixing point 105 can be considered both during provision of the ridgesand also by a respective dimensioning of the ridge materials, so thatthe ridges are, for example, made longer, whereby the bending lineresults in a greater amplitude or materials generating a stronger strokeare selected, so that the determined characteristic curve between theshift of the optical structure and the shift of the opticalcharacteristic of the lens is maintained.

FIG. 48 shows the apparatus 30, where an adhesive 102 a-d annealable byUV radiation is arranged at the ridges 14 a-d.

FIG. 49 shows an apparatus 10 where the ridges 14 a and 14 b with aconcavo-convex cross-section have a curved geometry. This allows both astabilization of the stationary position of the lens 12 as well as adefinition of the movement of the lens 12 which is arranged at thesupporting structure 16 via single-layered ridges.

FIG. 50 shows an apparatus analogous to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein thesupporting structure 16 includes a portion 16 a having a width R1 and afurther portion 16 b having a width R2 and the ridges 14 a and 14 b arearranged in the portion 16 a at the supporting structure 16. The spacebetween the ridges 14 a and 14 b, respectively and the portion 16 b ofthe supporting structure 16 is implemented to allow an arrangement of anannealable adhesive 102 for fixing a new initial position.

FIG. 51a shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 26, wherein the portion 16b of the supporting structure 16 limits a space between the ridges 14 aand 14 b as well as the supporting structure 16 in the direction of thereference plane 18, which is implemented to allow an arrangement of anannealable adhesive 102 for fixing a new initial position.

FIG. 51b shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 27, wherein the portion 16b of the supporting structure 16 limits a space between the ridges 14 aand 14 b as well as the supporting structure 16 in the direction of thereference plane 18, which is implemented to allow an arrangement of anannealable adhesive 102 for fixing a new initial position.

FIG. 52a shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 26, wherein the portion 16b of the supporting structure 16 limits a space between the ridges 14 aand 14 b as well as the supporting structure 16 in the direction of theco-moving lens 75, which is implemented to allow an arrangement of anannealable adhesive 102 for fixing a new initial position.

FIG. 52b shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 27, wherein the portion 16b of the supporting structure 16 limits a space between the ridges 14 aand 14 b as well as the supporting structure 16 in the direction of theco-moving lens 75, which is implemented to allow an arrangement of anannealable adhesive 102 for fixing a new initial position.

FIG. 53 shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 29, wherein the supportingstructure 16 includes, in the area between the two lens stacks 76 a and76 b, a portion 16 b having a width R2 that is greater than the width R1of the portion 16 a and the portion 16 c of the supporting structure 16.Adhesive 102 can be respectively arranged at the portion 16 b having thewidth R2 in the direction of the two lens stacks 76 a and 76 b, so thatboth lens stacks 76 a and 76 b can be adjusted by means of the portion16 b of the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 54a shows an apparatus where the supporting structure 16 includes aportion 16 a having a width R1 and a portion 16 b having a width R2, thewidth R2 being greater than the width R1. At a top or bottom side of thesupporting structure 16 having the width R1 at the supporting structure16, a moving lens 12 is arranged via the ridges 14 a and 14 b. At theopposite top or bottom side of the structure 16, a stationary lens 79 ais arranged via further layers 81 a and 81 b in the gap F2 of theportion 16 b, wherein the stationary lens 79 a and the further layers 81a and 81 b are implemented integrally with the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 54b shows an apparatus consisting of two cells 56 a and 56 b,wherein each of the cells 56 a and 56 b is formed consistent with anapparatus of FIG. 54a . The two cells are arranged directly adjacent toone another, and adjacent material layers of the cells with the movinglenses 12 a and 12 b, the supporting structure 16, the glass wafer 86 aswell as the stationary lenses 79 a and 79 b are each implementedintegrally across the course.

FIG. 54c shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 54b where the cells 56 aand 56 b are arranged spaced apart from one another on the continuouslyimplemented glass wafer 86. Thus, merely the glass wafer 86 isimplemented in an integral manner.

FIG. 55a shows an apparatus analogous to the apparatus of FIG. 54a ,wherein, on the layers 81 c and 81 d arranged at the half 79 b of thestationary lens, a further portion 16 c of the supporting structure isarranged, at the end of which a second glass wafer 86 b is arranged.

FIG. 55b shows the apparatus of FIG. 55a , wherein the lens 12 isstructured in a two-layered manner.

In an apparatus having moving and stationary lenses, single-layered ormulti-layered moving or stationary lenses can be used. It is alsopossible to use several glass wafers 86 in order to implement arbitrarycharacteristics along an optical axis.

FIG. 56a shows an apparatus where the sections 16 a and 16 b of thesupporting structure 16 are formed of different materials. The portion16 a is arranged at a glass wafer 86 a, wherein the ridges 14 a and 14 bare arranged at the end of the portion 16 a opposing the glass wafer 86a. The main side of the glass wafer 86 facing away from the lens 12includes a stationary lens 79 with layers 81 a and 81 b arranged at thesame, wherein the stationary lens 79 and the layers 81 a and 81 b areintegrally formed. A portion 16 b of the supporting structure which isformed of a different material than the portion 16 a is arranged at thelayers 81 a and 81 b. A second glass wafer 86 b is arranged at the endof the portion 16 b facing away from the stationary lens 79.

FIG. 56b shows the apparatus of FIG. 56a , wherein the ridges 14 a and14 b as well as the portion 16 a of the supporting structure 16 areintegrally formed with the lens 12.

Depending on the desired function, for example mechanical of thermalcharacteristics, each portion of an optical overall structure can beformed of a different material. A glass wafer, which either has astabilizing characteristic or can be implemented as a carrier of anoptical structure, such as a lens, can be integrated between the same ordifferent sections of material.

For implementing great dynamics with regard to the deflection of theridges or an optical structure, it is possible that the usage of theabove thermal influenceability of the ridges, which is also utilized viathe shown heating elements, is extended by an external force acting onthe ridges and moving the same out of their position. This force can begenerated, for example, by electrostatic fields in electrostatic drives,as is shown by the following embodiments. Besides mechanical holders orgrips, a merely electrostatic deflection is possible, without theutilization or presence of the above-described temperature dependency ofthe deflection. Here, the electrostatic drives can be implemented indifferent ways. Some of the embodiments described below provide anextension of the supporting structure by an electrode carrier consistentwith a partly curved mold component or a respectively formed portion ofthe supporting structure, at which an electrode can be arranged. Also,the electrostatic drives can be implemented by a specific formation ofthe ridges by means of a cantilever electrode as is the case in furtherimplementations described below.

Thus, the above embodiments can be combined with the aspect ofembodiments described below, according to which electrostatic drives areused for performing positioning of the optical structure and the ridgesduring operation. However, the following embodiments can also be usedindependently of the temperature compensation effect of the aboveembodiments.

FIG. 57a shows an apparatus 120 analogous to FIG. 1 with a moldcomponent arranged at the same, wherein second electrodes 126 a and 126b and first electrodes 122 a and 122 b are arranged with regard to oneanother such that the same overlap at least partly and are spaced apartfrom one another by at least isolator layer 128. The first electrodes122 a and 122 b and the second electrodes 126 a and 126 b form theelectrostatic drives 132 a and 132 b.

Approximately at its center, the mold component 124 has a diameter D3where the material of the mold component 124, the electrodes 126 and theisolator layer 128 are recessed and which is arranged approximatelycentrally to the optical axis 28 of the lens 12. Additionally, the moldcomponent 124 includes two surfaces facing the supporting structures 16,FF1 across a width XF1 of the mold component 124 and a continuouslycurved surface FF2 having the width XF2. The surface FF1 is arrangedopposite to the surface FT1 and the width XF1 essentially corresponds tothe width XT1. The surface FF1 is implemented in a planar manner whilethe surface FF2 is implemented in a continuously curved manner. In thepresent embodiment, a surface FF3 of the mold component 124 isimplemented in a planar manner across the extension of the width XF3.Two second electrodes 126 a and 126 b are arranged at the planar surfaceFF1 and the curved surface FF2 and are covered at least partly by anisolator layer 128.

The electrostatic drives allow the application of an electric fieldbetween the electrodes and hence the application of a force to theelectrodes 122 and 126. Thereby, both during initial adjustment andduring operation, shifting or tilting of the optical structure can beachieved. During operation, dynamic focusing of the lens is possible,which supplements or realizes the compensation of the thermally inducedvariations of the lens 12 by the ridges 14—without thermal compensation.The materials of the ridges and lenses, for example, can achieve, forvarying environmental temperatures, a constant focal position withregard to a defined object distance. Varying object distances can befocused by means of the electrostatic drives. In particular, a control(not shown) can be provided or at least be connected, which eithercontrols the electrostatic drives, such as in dependence on thetemperature acquired by a temperature sensor, in order to counteract theeffects of the thermally induced variation of the opticalcharacteristics of the optical structure, or regulates the same, forexample depending on an evaluation of a signal depending on the opticalcharacteristic of the optical structure, such as the sharpness of animage captured in the image plane defined at least partly by the opticalstructure, such as a lens system including the lens suspended on theridges.

The apparatus of FIG. 57a can be produced, for example, as describedbelow.

FIG. 57b shows the apparatus 120 with the supporting structure 16 andthe components arranged at the same as well as the mold component 124and the components arranged at the same in the unjoined state. Theelectrodes 122 a and 126 a as well as the electrodes 122 b and 126 b areimplemented to act, after joining the supporting structure 16 and themold component 124, each as an electrostatic drive 132 a and 132 b,respectively, with regard to a ridge 14 a and 14 b, respectively.

FIG. 57c shows the arrangement of an annealable adhesive 134 a and 134 bbetween the surfaces FT1 and FF1, via which the mold component 124 isjoined to the supporting structure 16.

If first electrodes 122 are arranged at the ridges and electrostaticdrives 132 are used to deflect the ridges 14 and hence the lens 12, thiscan be performed with great dynamics allowing fast focusing of the lens12 with regard to the reference plane and an object distance possibly tobe focused, so that the optical overall structure, where the lens 12 maybe used, can obtain a faster image sequence.

FIG. 58 shows an apparatus as an alternative to FIG. 57b , wherein theisolator layer 128 is arranged on the first electrodes 122 a and 122 b.Basically, the isolator layer 128 can also be positioned between thefirst electrode 122 and the second electrode 126 such that the same isnot arranged in a fixed manner either at the respective first electrode122 a/122 b or at a second electrode 126 a/b, but can, for example, beintroduced as a separate layer between the supporting structure 16 andthe mold component 124 during joining. In the area between a surface FT1of the supporting structure 16 and a planar surface FF1 of a moldcomponent 124, merely the respective first and second electrodes 122a/122 b, the second electrode 126 a/126 b, the isolator layer 128 aswell as the adhesive 134 a/134 b are arranged. In this area, thedistance between the first electrodes 122 a and 122 b is at a minimumand continuously increases from the supporting structure 16 in thedirection towards the lens 12.

FIG. 59 shows a portion of the apparatus 120 where an electric voltage Uis applied between the first electrode 122 and the second electrode 126.The voltage U results in the formation of an electric field 136 betweenthe two electrodes and hence to an attracting force between the twoelectrodes. By the arrangement of the mold component 124 at thesupporting structure 16, the second electrode 126 is arranged in astationary manner with regard to the supporting structure 16. Theattracting force of the electric field 136 has the effect that the lens12 and the ridge 14 move from their original position, indicated indotted lines, in the direction of the second electrode 126.

Depending on the polarity of the electric field, also, a repelling forcecan be generated between the two electrodes, which results in a movementof the ridges 14 and the lens 12 away from the second electrode 126.

FIG. 60a shows a top view of a cell 56 of the apparatus 30 of FIG. 20where the first electrodes 122 a-d are arranged at the ridges and extendon the surface FT1 of the supporting structure 16. The optical axis 28is in the center of the lens 12. FIG. 60b shows a top view of the moldcomponent 124, where the second electrodes 126 a-d, indicated in dottedlines, are arranged, which are covered by the isolator layer 128arranged in a planar manner. At the center, the mold component includesthe round recess having the diameter D3 allowing, after joining the moldcomponent 124 to the supporting structure 16, unobstructed light passagealong the optical axis 28 of the lens 12.

FIG. 61a shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 58, wherein the opticalstructure includes, instead of the lens 12, an optical array 138 havingseveral adjacent lenses 142, 144 and 146 that are directly connected toone another and have the common diameter D4 and are together mounted onthe supporting structure 16 via ridges 14. The lenses 142, 144 and 146represent an optical structure similar to the lens array 68 of FIG. 24.Here, the lenses 142, 144 and 146 can have transparent, reflecting orabsorbing areas.

FIG. 61b shows an alternative embodiment of FIG. 61a , where the lenses142 and 146 of the optical array 138 include sections of lenses.

FIG. 61c shows a mold component 124 at whose surfaces FF1 and FF2 thesecond electrodes 126 a and 126 b are arranged and whose diameter D3 issmaller than the diameter D4 of the optical array 138 in FIGS. 61a and61b . The diameters D3 and D4 can be dimensioned independent of oneanother, in particular the same can be different from one another.

According to alternative embodiments, the optical array can include anynumber of lenses or sections thereof, wherein the respective individualcomponents can be individually formed.

FIG. 62a shows the cross-section of two adjacent cells 56 a and 56 b,each having a moving lens 12 a and 12 b, whose ridges 14 a-d arecovered, analogous to the apparatus 120 of FIG. 58, with the firstelectrodes 122 a-d and the isolator layer 128 and wherein the supportingstructure 16 includes grooves 148 a and 148 b.

FIG. 62b shows the cross-section of the unjoined mold component 124which is implemented so as to be joined to both cells 56 a and 56 b ofFIG. 62a and which includes two recesses having a diameter D3 which arepositioned, in the joined state, each approximately concentricallyaround the optical axes 28 a and 28 b of the lenses 12 a and 12 b. Themold component 124 includes tongues 152 a and 152 b which areimplemented to be arranged at the grooves 148 a and 148 b of FIG. 62 a.

FIG. 62c shows the apparatus 130 in the joined state of mold component124 of FIG. 62b and supporting structure 16 of FIG. 62a , wherein thetongues 152 a-b are introduced into the grooves 148 a-b, adhesive 134a-d is introduced between the grooves 148 a-b and the tongues 152 a-b,and the grooves 148 a-b, the tongues 152 a-b and the adhesive 134 a-dform the joining zones 154 a-d.

FIG. 63a shows the cross-section of a mold component curved on bothsides 156 structured symmetrically with regard to an axis of symmetry158, and each half of the mold component 156 can be represented as amold component 124 of FIG. 58, wherein the surfaces FF3 a and FF3 b ofthe two halves of the mold component 156 are arranged congruently on oneanother. The mold component curved on both sides 156 includes a secondplanar surface FF1 b and a second curved surface FF2 b, where furthertwo electrodes 126 c and 126 d are arranged and the mold component 156is hence implemented to be part of two electrostatic drives 132 a and132 b and 132 c and 132 d, respectively.

Alternative embodiments include a mold component curved on both sideswhose surfaces show no symmetry to one another. Particularly whensections of the supporting structure differ from one another along theoptical axis, dimensions and formations of mold components curved onboth sides can be implemented independent of one another.

FIG. 63b shows an apparatus where two apparatuses, analogous to FIG. 58b, are joined via a mold component curved on both sides 156 such that theoptical axes of lenses 12 a and 12 b essentially coincide and the areasFT1 a and FT1 b of the supporting structures 16 a and 16 b are arrangedfacing each other and the mold component 156 is part of fourelectrostatic drives 132 a, 132 b, 132 c and 132 d.

FIG. 64 shows an apparatus where the mold component 124 is formedintegrally with the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 65 shows the apparatus 30 of FIG. 7, wherein rectangularly formedfirst electrodes 122 a-d are arranged on parts of the ridges 14 a-d andparts of the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 66 shows the apparatus 30, wherein triangularly formed firstelectrodes 122 a-d which taper from the supporting structure 16 towardsthe lens 12, are arranged on parts of the ridges 14 a-d and parts of thesupporting structure 16.

FIG. 67 shows the apparatus 30, wherein first electrodes 122 a-d formedin a free-form shape are arranged on parts of the ridges 14 a-d andparts of the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 68 shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 11, wherein firstelectrodes 122 a-d whose external edges run parallel to the ridges 14a-d are arranged on parts of the ridges 14 a-d and parts of thesupporting structure 16.

FIG. 69 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 8, wherein triangularlyformed first electrodes 122 a and 122 b, which taper from the supportingstructure 16 towards the lens 12, are arranged on parts of the ridges 14a and 14 b and parts of the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 70 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 9, wherein triangularlyformed first electrodes 122 a and 122 b, which taper from the supportingstructure 16 towards the lens 12, are arranged on parts of the ridges 14a and 14 b and parts of the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 71 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 11, wherein firstelectrodes 122 a and 122 b formed in a free-form shape, which taper fromthe supporting structure towards the lens 12, are arranged on parts ofthe ridges 14 a and 14 b and parts of the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 72 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 12, wherein firstelectrodes 122 a-c formed in a free-form shape, which taper from thesupporting structure towards the lens 12, are arranged on parts of theridges 14 a-c and parts of the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 73 shows an apparatus 140 according to the apparatus 120 of FIG.57c , wherein a co-moving lens 75 is arranged at the ridges 14 a and 14b via further structures 74 a and 74 b, analogous to FIG. 25, and thelens 12 and the co-moving lens 75 form a lens stack 76.

FIG. 74 shows an apparatus 150 according to the apparatus 70 of FIG. 34,wherein electrostatic drives 132 a and 132 b are arranged adjacent tothe ridges 14 a and 14 b.

FIG. 75 shows an apparatus 140 wherein, at the surface of the supportingstructure 16 a oriented in the direction of the reference plane 18, theapparatus 150 is joined via an adhesive layer 162 such that the opticalaxes 28 a-d of the lenses 12 a, 12 b, 75 and 79 essentially coincide.Basically, any combination and sequence of the lenses 12, 75 and 79and/or apparatuses explained above and below is possible.

FIG. 76 shows an apparatus 160 analogous to apparatus 150, whereinsolely on the surface of the glass wafer 86 oriented in the direction ofthe reference plane 18 a stationary lens 79 and the layers 81 a and 81 barranged at the same are formed, wherein the stationary lens 79 and thelayers 81 a and 81 b arranged at the same are formed integrally andextend across the entire width of the glass wafer 86. The supportingstructure 16 includes a polymer material.

FIG. 77 shows an apparatus according to apparatus 130 without thegrooves 148 and the tongues 152, wherein the cells 56 a and 56 b areeach implemented consistent with the apparatus 160 and the stationarylens 79 a with the layers 81 a and 81 b arranged at the same and thestationary lens 79 b and the layers 81 c and 81 d arranged at the sameare each integrally formed.

FIG. 78 shows an apparatus 170 extending the apparatus 160 such that afurther supporting structure 16 b is arranged at the layers 81 a and 81b arranged at the stationary lens 79 in the direction of the referenceplane 18 and the reference plane 18 is the surface of an imager 164facing the lens 12, which is arranged along the optical axis 28 on theside of the further supporting structure 16 b facing away from thestationary lens 79.

The apparatus 170 offers the option of placing optics on an imagerwithout prior active adjustment. Adapting an optimum focal position andhence compensating tolerances and/or production tolerances can beperformed by means of controlling the electrostatic drives 132 a and 132b. Further, this embodiment offers the option of also changing an axialposition of the lens 12 by controlling the electrostatic drives 132 aand 132 b, and hence adapting, among other things, the focal positiondepending on an object distance as is the case in an autofocus. Forthis, possibly, evaluation of image capturing performed in the imagercan be performed by means of a specifically implemented algorithm, as iscommon for autofocus.

FIG. 79 shows an apparatus 180 formed of two adjacent cells 56 a and 56b, each formed as apparatus 170 and whose cells 56 a and 56 b arearranged adjacent to one another consistent with apparatus 130 of FIG.77, for example as the result of a production process of the apparatusat wafer level.

Thereby, it is possible to place a plurality of optical structures andoptics in combination without prior active adjustment on a wafertogether with a plurality of imagers and to perform wafer-levelassembly. After wafer-level assembly has been performed, the individualoptical modules can be separated from one another. This can take place,for example, by sawing. Also, several optical modules can form a groupof individual modules that remain connected to one another. In this way,fields of optical modules can be produced which can have any extension,for example 1×2, 2×2, 3×3 or others.

FIG. 80 shows an arrangement of the first electrode 122 within the ridge14, wherein the first electrode 122 is covered by the material of theridge 14 on the side facing the second electrode 126. In thisembodiment, the material of the ridge 14 arranged between the firstelectrode 122 and the second electrode 126 functions at the same time asthe isolator layer 128.

Basically, in can be advantageous to match the implementations andarrangement of the first and second electrodes 122 and 126 such that alinearized ratio of the voltage U applied between the electrodes andresulting deflection of the ridges 14 and/or the optical structureresults. Such an adaptation can be realized, for example, by an adaptedgeometry of the first or second electrodes having different widthsacross an axial extension, so that the voltage U generates a variableforce between the electrodes by means of a variable electric fieldacross the axial curve of the electrodes.

While the diameter D3 has been illustrated as being smaller than thediameter D4, the two diameters D3 and D4 can have any ratio to oneanother. Also, the recesses and distances illustrated as diameters canhave a different shape, for example oval or rectangular.

The mold components 124 and 156 can also be formed integrally with thesupporting structure 16 and generally indicate portions where a secondelectrode 126 can be arranged to a first electrode according to theabove embodiments, i.e. an electrode carrier.

Realizing electrostatic drives can also be obtained by an alternativeimplementation of the electrodes, by forming parts of the ridgeconstituting an electrostatic drive with an inner part. Subsequentembodiments represent an alternative implementation of electrostaticdrives for ridges of optical structures. The electrostatic drivesdescribed below can each be individually realized but can also becombined with those described above. Basically, embodiments describedbelow merely represent a different structure for implementing theelectrostatic principle of action. The control and the purpose of thecontrol are similar or the same as those described with regard to theabove embodiments. Embodiments described below have an implementation ofthe electrodes of the electrostatic drives such that locally thedistance of two electrodes to one another is minimized by the formationof cantilevers in one of the electrodes of an electrostatic drive inorder to reduce the voltage necessitated for controlling the drive forobtaining a mechanical deflection of the ridges and at the same timeomitting a curved mold component.

FIG. 81 shows a top view of an apparatus 200 having a lens 12 mounted onthe supporting structure 16 via two ridges 14 a and 14 b. The ridges 14a and 14 b include recesses partly exposing a portion 166 a and 166 b,respectively, of the ridge 14 a and 14 b, respectively, which isimplemented such that the same projects from the plane of the ridge 14 aor 14 b and comprises an end connected to the ridge 14.

FIG. 82a shows a side view of the apparatus 200 where a transparent moldcomponent 168 formed in a planar manner is arranged along the opticalaxis 28 of the lens 12. First electrodes 172 a and 172 b are formed onthe side of the ridges 14 a and 14 b facing the mold component 168, sothat the sections 166 a and 166 b of the ridges 14 a and 14 b each forma cantilever electrode 174 a and 174 b. On the side of the moldcomponent 168 facing the lens 12, two static electrodes 176 a and 176 bare arranged such that they at least partly oppose the cantileverelectrodes 174 a and 174 b and the surfaces of the static electrodes 176a and 176 b directed towards the cantilever electrodes 174 a and 174 bare covered by an isolator layer 128. The cantilever electrodes 174 aand 174 b project from the plane of the ridges 14 a and 14 b and abut onthe end facing away from the lens 12 adjacent to the isolator layer 128.The location where the cantilever electrodes 174 a and 174 b touch theisolator layer 128 represents a location of minimum distance between thecantilever electrode 174 a or 174 b and the static electrodes 176 a or176 b, from where the distance in the direction of the lens 12continuously increases. The ridge 14 a, the cantilever electrode 174 a,the static electrode 176 a and the isolator layer 128 form, like theridge 14 b, the cantilever electrode 174 b, the static electrode 176 band the isolator layer one electrostatic drive 182 a or 182 b each.

FIG. 82b shows the behavior of the apparatus 200 when applying anelectric voltage between the cantilever electrode 174 a and the staticelectrode 176 a or the cantilever electrode 174 b and the staticelectrode 176 b. An electric field 184 a or 184 b is formed within theelectric drive 182 a or 182 b, which results in an attracting forcebetween the cantilever electrodes and the static electrodes. Byarranging the static electrodes 176 a and 176 b on the mold component168, the same are stationary with regard to the cantilever electrodes174 a and 174 b. FIG. 82b shows a deformation of the ridges 14 a and 14b as well as the cantilever electrodes 174 a and 174 b through forcesinherent to the electric fields 184 a and 184 b which causes a shift 186of the lens 12 in the direction of the mold component 168, whereby thedistance between the cantilever electrode 174 a or 174 b and the staticelectrode 176 a or 176 b changes at least in the area where theelectrodes overlap.

Depending on the polarity of the electric field, a repelling force canalso be generated between the two electrodes, which results in a shift186 of the lens 12 away from the mold component 168. With an arrangementof an electrostatic drive 182, a simpler implementation of the staticelectrodes can be obtained, which allows advantages with regard toproduction technology. At the same time, a planar mold component 168 canbe used instead of a curved mold component 124.

Basically, it can be advantageous to match the implementations andarrangement of the cantilever electrode and the static electrode 174 a/band 176 a/b such that a linearized ratio of the voltage U appliedbetween the electrodes and resulting deflection of the ridges 14 and/orthe optical structure results. Such an adaptation can be realized, forexample, by an adapted geometry of the cantilever electrode or thestatic electrode having different widths across an axial extension, suchthat the voltage U generates a variable force between the electrodes bymeans of a variable electric field across the axial curve of theelectrodes.

The electrostatic drives allow the implementation of an initialadjustment for compensating production tolerances as well as dynamicfocusing during operation. The operation of the electrostatic drives canimplement the characteristic of the ridges to automatically compensatetemperature-related changes in optical characteristics of a lens interms of focusing on varying object distances relevant to the lens.

FIGS. 83a and 83b show the apparatus 200, wherein the mold component 168is implemented in an opaque manner and which includes a material recesshaving a diameter D5 essentially corresponding to the diameter D4 of thelens 12.

FIG. 84a shows the ridge 14 mounted on the supporting structure 16including a rectangular portion 166 whose end connected to the ridge 14is arranged adjacent to the lens 12. FIG. 84b shows the ridge 14 mountedon the supporting structure 16 including a triangular portion 166 thattapers towards the supporting structure 16 and whose end connected tothe ridge 14 is arranged adjacent to the lens 12. FIG. 84c shows theridge 14 mounted on the supporting structure 16, which includes aportion 166 in the form of an isosceles trapezoid, which tapers towardsthe lens 12 and whose end connected to the ridge 14 is arranged adjacentto the lens 12.

Basically, any possible form of implementation of a portion 166 of thesurface of a ridge 14 is conceivable.

FIG. 85a shows a form of the portion 166 of the ridge 14 identical toFIG. 84a . FIG. 85b shows a portion 166 downscaled with respect to FIG.85a , which is positioned adjacent to the supporting structure 16 in theridge 14. FIG. 85b shows a portion 166 downscaled with respect to FIG.85a , which is positioned adjacent to the lens 12 in the ridge 14. FIG.85d shows a ridge 14 including two portions 166 a and 166 b and theportion 166 a being arranged adjacent to the supporting structure 16 andthe portion 166 b being adjacent to the lens 12 in the ridge 15. FIG.85e shows a portion 166 whose end connected to the ridge 14 runsparallel to the external edge of the ridge 14 along the direction fromthe supporting structure 16 towards the lens 12.

The extension, number, arrangement and orientation of the portion 166 inthe ridges 14 is arbitrary for a mode of operation of the apparatus.

FIG. 86a shows an apparatus 210 analogous to apparatus 120 wherein theridges 14 a and 14 b are implemented analogous to FIGS. 82 and 83 toform cantilever electrodes 174 a and 174 b and wherein the apparatusincludes, instead of the mold component 124 with the electrodes 126 aand 126 b arranged at the same, the mold component 168 with the staticelectrodes 176 a and 175 b and the isolator layer 128.

FIG. 86b shows the arrangement of an annealable adhesive 134 a and 134 badjacent to the surface FT1, by which the mold component 168 is joinedwith the supporting structure 16. FIG. 86c shows the joined state of theapparatus where the electrostatic drives 182 a and 182 b are implementedsuch that merely the respective first electrode 172 a/172 b, the staticelectrode 176 a/176 b, the isolator layer 128 as well as the adhesive134 a/134 b are formed in the area between the surface FT1 and the moldcomponent 168.

FIG. 87a shows the apparatus 210 where the mode part 168 is implementedas a glass plate.

FIG. 87b shows the apparatus 210 according to FIG. 80a where the moldcomponent includes, on the surface facing away from the lens 12, asingle-layered stationary lens 86 a and on the opposite surface facingaway from the lens 12, a two-layered stationary lens 86 b and theoptical axes 28 a, 28 b and 28 c essentially coincide. Thereby, thestationary lenses 79 a and 79 b form a lens stack on the mold component168.

FIG. 88a shows the apparatus 210 where the mold component 168 isimplemented as an opaque body having the diameter D5 and the materialrecess is formed essentially concentrically around the optical axis 28of the lens 12.

FIG. 88b shows the apparatus 210 according to FIG. 81a , wherein anoptical effective area 188 is arranged in the area of the diameter D5and the optical axis 28 b of the optical effective area 188 essentiallycoincides with the optical axis 28 a of the lens 12. The presentembodiment presents the optical effective area as a lens, however, thesame can also be any optical structure according to the abovestatements.

FIG. 89 shows an apparatus according to FIG. 88b at which an apparatus210 according to FIG. 87 is arranged via the adhesive layer 162 suchthat the optical axes of the lenses 12 a and 12 b, the stationary lenses79 a and 79 b as well as the optical effective area 188 essentiallycoincide.

FIG. 90a shows the cross-section of two adjacent cells 56 a and 56 b,each implemented consistent with the apparatus 210 of FIG. 86a , whereinthe cells 56 a and 56 b have the distance X3 to one another and whereinthe supporting structure 16 includes grooves 148 a and 148 b analogousto FIG. 62 a.

FIG. 90b shows the cross-section of an unjoined mold component 192wherein each of the two portions 196 a and 196 b corresponds to the moldcomponent 168 with arranged static electrodes 176, isolator layer 128and optical effective area 188 of the apparatus 88 b. The two portions196 a and 196 b of the mold component 168 are formed integrally.Additionally, the mold component includes tongues 152 a and 152 b thatare implemented to be arranged at the grooves 148 a and 148 b.

FIG. 90c shows an apparatus 220 formed of the cells 56 a and 56 b ofFIG. 83a and the mold component 192 of FIG. 90b , wherein the tongues152 a and 152 b are arranged at the grooves 148 a and 148 b and arejoined via an adhesive 134, wherein the apparatus includes fourelectrostatic drives 182 a-d and the peripheral structures grooves 148a-b and tongues 152 a-d define the joining zone between the moldcomponent 168 and the supporting structure 16.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 90 it is possible to produce severalcells 56 in parallel which can have an identical or an individualdistance X3 for each adjacent pair of cells.

FIG. 91 shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 61, wherein theelectrostatic drives are implemented in the form of the electrostaticdrives 182 a and 182 b.

FIG. 92a shows the apparatus 30 of FIG. 7, wherein rectangular firstelectrodes 172 a-d are arranged at parts of the ridges 14 a-d and partsof the supporting structure 16, each including a portion 166 a-daccording to FIG. 84a . FIG. 92b shows the same apparatus where theridges 14 lead to an internal frame 62 which is part of the supportingstructure 16.

FIG. 93 shows the apparatus 30 of FIG. 7, wherein rectangular firstelectrodes 172 a-d are arranged at parts of the ridges 14 a-d and partsof the supporting structure 16, each including a trapezoidal portion 166a-d that tapers towards the supporting structure 16 and whose endconnected to the respective ridge 14 a-d is arranged adjacent to thelens 12.

FIG. 94 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 93, wherein merely twoopposing ridges 14 a-b are formed.

FIG. 95 shows an apparatus analogous to FIG. 11, wherein firstelectrodes 172 a-d are arranged at parts of the ridges 14 a-d and partsof the supporting structure 16, whose external edges run parallel to theexternal edges of the ridges 14 a-d and which each include a portion 166a-d according to FIG. 84a , whose end connected to the respective ridge14 a-d is arranged adjacent to the lens 12.

FIG. 96 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 70, wherein the firstelectrodes 172 a-b each include a trapezoidal portion 166 a-b thattapers towards the supporting structure and whose end connected to therespective ridge 14 a and 14 b is arranged adjacent to the lens 12.

FIG. 97 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 11, wherein the firstelectrodes 172 a-b each include a trapezoidal portion 166 a-b thattapers towards the supporting structure and whose end connected to therespective ridge 14 a-d is arranged adjacent to the lens 12.

FIG. 98 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 12, wherein the firstelectrodes 172 a-c each include a trapezoidal portion 166 a-c taperingtowards the supporting structure and whose end connected to therespective ridge 14 a-c is arranged adjacent to the lens 12.

FIG. 99 shows an apparatus 230 according to apparatus 210 of FIG. 88b ,wherein the mold component 168, analogous to FIG. 90c , is joined to thesupporting structure 16 via a groove 148, a tongue 152 and adhesive 134,and wherein, analogous to FIG. 25, a co-moving lens 75 is arranged atthe ridges 14 a and 14 b via further structures 74 a and 74 b, and thelens 12 and the co-moving lens 75 form a lens stack 76.

FIG. 100 shows an apparatus 240 according to apparatus 210 of FIG. 88a ,wherein the mold component 168, analogous to FIG. 90c , is joined to thesupporting structure 16 via a groove 148, a tongue 152 and adhesive 134,and at the end of the supporting structure 16 facing away from the moldcomponent 168, according to apparatus 70, a glass wafer 86 is arrangedat which one stationary lens 79 a-b with layers 81 a-b and 81 c-darranged at the same is formed on each of the sides facing the lens 12and facing away from the lens 12, wherein the layers are arranged spacedapart from the supporting structure 16.

FIG. 101 shows the apparatus 230, wherein at the surface of thesupporting structure 16 a pointing in the direction of the referenceplane 18, the apparatus 240 is joined via an adhesive layer 162 suchthat the optical axes 28 a-e of the lenses 12 a, 12 b, 75 and 79 a and79 b essentially coincide. Generally, any combination and order oflenses 12, co-moving lenses 75 and stationary lenses 79 as well asoptical effective areas 188 and/or the discussed apparatuses ispossible.

FIG. 102 shows an apparatus 250 analogous to FIG. 81a , wherein thesupporting structure 16 is formed of a polymer material and at the endof the supporting structure 16 facing away from the lens 12, a glasswafer 86 is arranged whose surface facing away from the lens 12 includesa stationary lens 79 with arranged layers 81 a and 81 b extending fromthe stationary lens 79 towards the distal ends of the glass wafer 86.The two optical axes 28 a of the lens 12 and 28 b of the stationary lens79 essentially coincide.

FIG. 103 shows an apparatus where two cells 56 a and 56 b are arrangedadjacent to one another at a distance X4 analogous to apparatus 220. Thetwo cells 56 a and 56 b are implemented analogously to apparatus 250.The stationary lens 79 a with the layers 81 a and 81 b arranged at thesame, the stationary lens 79 b with the layers 81 c and 81 d arranged atthe same, as well as the parts 16 a and 16 b of the supporting structure16 are each formed integrally.

FIG. 104 shows an apparatus 260 extending the apparatus 150 such that afurther supporting structure 16 b is arranged between the layers 81 aand 81 b arranged at the stationary lens 79 and the reference plane 18,and the reference plane 18 is the surface of the imager 164 which isarranged along the optical axis 28 at the side of the further supportingstructure 16 b facing away from the stationary lens 79, facing the lens12.

FIG. 105 shows an apparatus 270 formed of two adjacent apparatuses 260and whose cells are joined, consistent with apparatus 220 of FIG. 97.Apparatus 270 exemplarily represents the state of two adjacent cells 56after their production as simple multiplier at a wafer level. After theproduction has been carried out, there is the option of separating thecells from one another or to leave them adjacent to one anotherconsistent with multiple channels of an optical overall system.

The components described in the above embodiments, in particularthermally influenceable ridges, heating elements for heating the ridges,adhesives for fixing a new initial position as well as electrostaticdrives for deflecting the ridges with curved mold component orcantilever electrode can be combined with one another in apparatuses.

While in the above embodiments adhesive layers 79 and 92 have beenillustrated for joining different segments of further structures 74 andthe supporting structure 16, layers 78 and 92 can basically also includeother joining substances or materials, such as boundary layers resultingfrom thermal fusion of the respective segments.

Besides glass wafers 86, lens stacks 78 can also include spacer wafersdefining a defined distance between two adjacent elements of anapparatus.

While in the above embodiments lenses or lens fields have beenillustrated at the ridges and/or the supporting structure, the same canbasically be any form of optical structures and/or elements, such asaspheres, free-form areas, diffractive structures, mirrors, prisms orlens arrays. Lens arrays can consist of several equal or different, alsoarbitrarily combinable optical elements just listed above. Every opticalelement can include transparent, reflecting or absorbing areas which canadditionally differ in their spectral areas or polarization effect.

While the first electrodes 122 and the second electrodes 126, in theabove embodiments, have been spaced apart by an isolator layer 128,basically any spacer is possible, for example also air.

While in the above embodiments the cantilever electrodes 174 and thestatic electrodes 176 have been spaced apart by an isolator layer 128,basically any spacer is possible, for example also air.

Some of the above embodiments described an apparatus including anoptical structure and at least two ridges, each connecting the opticalstructure to a supporting structure and the ridges being implemented toallow a movement of the optical structure with regard to a referenceplane.

Some embodiments showed that the movement of the ridges and hence theoptical structure can counteract a thermally induced change in anoptical characteristic of the optical structure.

Here, the ridges are advantageously polymeric optical components havingintegrated mechanical structures allowing a thermally induced axialchange in position of the optical structure. The ridges are therebybending arrangements implemented in a monomorphic manner, i.e.single-layered, or in a bimorph manner, i.e. double-layered and henceeffective analogous to bi-metal strips. Thereby, the thermally inducedmovement of the ridges can be designed such that the same alsocounteracts thermally induced changes in an optical characteristic ofthe optical structure, for example the focal length of a lens, andathermization is achieved at least partly. By dimensioning the ridge, anarbitrary, determined travel range of the ridges can be achieved.

Additionally, an arrangement of heating elements at the ridges for localtemperature variation of the ridges is conceivable, possibly in the formof electric, ohmic resistors. The heating elements can consist ofprinted, sputtered, vapor-deposited and electrically conductive heatingstructures and can be implemented in a straight, curved or meanderingshape. In the case of lenses, by heating the electric heating elements,the distance of the lenses to a fixed base area, for example the planewhere an imager of a camera is situated, can be varied and, among otherthings, tuning of the focusing can take place, i.e. autofocus drive canbe realized. Simultaneously, the heating power and hence the deflectionof the individual ridges can be regulated separately from one another,so that both a parallel shift of the optical structure in space alongthe optical axis as well as a tilting of the optical structure becomespossible.

The ridges can be connected directly to the housing material, whereinthe same is implemented in a non-transparent manner. Alternatively, theridges can lead, on the housing side, to a frame surrounding the overallstructure, which is attached to the housing without any gaps inbetween.

With regard to the optical structure, many identical or non-identicalstructures are possible, as described in the figures. The structureseach consist of an optical structure, ridges, possibly a frame and/or ahousing and are arranged adjacent to one another and, if possible,produced in parallel, i.e. in the same processing steps.

In the case of single-layered ridges, the movement of the opticalstructure along the optical axis is achieved by a differing expansion ofridges and the surrounding housing during temperature variations. In asingle-layered structure, the optical structure and the holding ridgesconsist of the same material, wherein the material has a greatercoefficient of thermal expansion than the surrounding housing material.With an increase in temperature, the ridge material expands more thanthe surrounding housing. As a consequence of an at least bilateralsuspension and an enforced position of the optical structure, theoptical structure moves along the optical axis.

In the case of two-layered ridges, the movement along the optical axisis achieved by the differing expansion of the materials of thetwo-layered ridges. Here, the expansion difference to the housingbecomes insignificant. The bending results from different coefficientsof thermal expansion, CTE, of the layer materials. When the layersequence includes a smaller CTE at the bottom and a greater CTE at thetop, a movement towards the bottom results during a temperaturevariation. When, alternatively, the layer sequence includes a greaterCTE at the top and a smaller CTE at the bottom, a movement towards thetop results during a temperature variation. Here, the layer structurecan be implemented in a continuous or discontinuous manner. If the layerstructure is continuous, the optical structure can be implemented withthe same materials and in the same order as the ridges. In this case,the selection of materials simultaneously defines the mechanical andoptical characteristics. If, for example, an achromat consisting of twolayers is implemented, pairing of the materials is performed accordingto the Abbe numbers, which results in the CTEs of the materialsdetermining the direction of the movement during a temperature increase.

Alternatively, a discontinuous layer structure can be implemented. Inthis case, the optical structure and the ridges can be formed ofdifferent materials, for example in a different sequence and with morethan two layers. In this case, the selection of the material isperformed according to mechanical characteristics, decoupled from theconsideration of the optical characteristics. By way of the example ofthe above achromat, pairing the materials is performed according to theAbbe numbers. The CTEs of the materials result therefrom. A differentlayer sequence and expansion in the areas of the ridges and the opticalstructure allows, despite the determined CTEs, a free selection of thedirection of movement during a temperature increase.

Additionally, stacking any amount of further optical structures ispossible. In a vertical direction, along an optical axis, the respectiveholding elements are mechanically coupled to the ridges of cantileveredlayers above or below the same and perform the same movement. As analternative, the holding elements can also be coupled to the housing andmove independent of further layer sequences in the stack. Stationary,fixed lenses of the lens stack can comprise continuous glass wafers.

It is an advantage that the described arrangements generally allow athermally influenced position of optical components made of polymermaterials. Here, lenses moving along the direction of the normal of theimage plane are of particular relevance. With a correct implementation,the thermally induced change in distance of the main plane of a lens/anobjective to its image plane can be selected such that the samecorresponds to the thermally induced change in the focal length.Consequently, the image plane of the lens/the objective is at the sameaxial position, whereby sharp imaging can be realized, even with varyingtemperatures. This substantially extends the field of use of polymeroptics. The arrangements can be produced as simple multiplier at waferlevel and hence allow further cost reduction.

By using electrical heating elements, the temperature and hence thebending of the holding structure and ultimately the axial position ofthe lenses can be controlled independent of the environmentaltemperature, which can be used, among other things, for active focusing,for example in the form of an autofocus.

Tilting can also be achieved by specifically deflecting the holdingstructures of the lenses in a differing manner.

Some of the above embodiments showed an option of adjusting a specificposition and tiling of the optical structure by bending the ridgestructures and fixing the position after completed adjustment by meansof UV-annealable adhesive. Thus, compensation of production tolerancesof polymeric optical components and specifically the adjustment of theimage position of objectives, in particular after joining optical andimager wafers is possible. Possibly existing additional means, such asthermally or electrostatically influenceable ridges, further allow thethermally influenced position of optical components made of polymermaterials. According to embodiments, electrostatic drives are arrangedtogether with heating structures for heating the ridges. Further,thermally influenceable ridges that are deflectable by heating elementsand/or electrostatic drives can be adjusted with an adhesive in aposition differing from the original initial position.

Further above embodiments showed previous explanations that an appliedvoltage between the electrodes of the electrostatic drive can be used toallow shifting of the optical structure in the space. Actuation isperformed by using an electrostatic field resulting from applying anelectric voltage between the electrodes of the electrostatic drive. Anadditional electrode carrier can possibly be used with a possibly curvedcontinuous profile in order to implement an electrostatic drive at asupporting structure. By minimizing the distance or the gap between theelectrodes of an electrostatic drive, the voltage necessitated for amovement can be reduced.

Movement along an optical axis is achieved by changing the appliedvoltage between a ridge and a mold electrode. Here, each ridge can beprovided with a different voltage, so that a different travel rangeresults for each ridge and, besides a movement of the optical structurealong the optical axis, tilting of the optical structure can also beachieved.

Additionally, the actuators can be used for adjusting the axial positionof the optical structures with regard to the imager depending on theobject distance for obtaining the best possible imaging quality and forimplementing autofocus.

After producing the described optical structures including the housingcomponents, the mold components, which have a curved continuous shape onthe lens side, are joined either individually or together at waferlevel. The mold components serve as electrode carriers and are providedwith the respective second electrode of the electrostatic drives. Atleast one of the electrodes, ridge or mold electrode, is provided withan isolator layer which can be deposited, like the electrodes, by meansof vapor deposition or sputtering or by the additional molding ofpolymers.

The apparatuses presented can be produced in any implementation in theform of many components and systems in parallel in wafer-levelproduction and with high precision and can be connected to a pluralityof components. In particular, it is possible to connect an optics waferto an imager wafer and to adjust the optimum focal position subsequentlyin every channel by using the actuators.

Optimum functioning of the optical apparatuses can be ensured byadapting the axial positions of the optical structures, advantageouslyimplemented as lenses, after joining the individual lens positions byactuators, in particular thermal or electrostatic actuators. Thereby,optimum orientation of the optical structures with regard to a referenceplane can be achieved, and hence the compensation of deviations frompossible target parameters resulting as a consequence of production andjoining tolerances.

Generally, the described arrangements allow a compensation of productiontolerances of polymeric optical components and specifically dynamicadjustment of the image position of objectives consistent with anautofocus. Hereby, the field of use of polymer optics is significantlyincreased. The arrangements can be produced as simple multiplier atwafer level and hence allow further cost reduction. Specifically, theentire optics wafer can be joined with an imager wafer and every singlemodule can be brought into the optimum focal position by selecting thecontrol voltage or control voltages. By specifically differingdeflections of the ridges and hence the optical structures connectedtherewith, tilting of the optical structures can also be achieved.

It has been discussed that the ridges connecting the optical structureto the supporting structure and where an electrostatic drive is arrangedcan be implemented such that a portion of the ridges is at least partlydeflected from the plane of the respective ridge in the direction of thecorresponding second electrode in order to increase the efficiency ofthe electrostatic drive.

The actuators can be miniaturized and can be produced in wafer-leveltechnology. At the same time, the actuators can both compensateproduction tolerances and allow variable focusing during operation ofthe optical overall system.

While this invention has been described in terms of several advantageousembodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents whichfall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted thatthere are many alternative ways of implementing the methods andcompositions of the present invention. It is therefore intended that thefollowing appended claims be interpreted as including all suchalterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the truespirit and scope of the present invention.

1. Apparatus comprising: an optical structure; at least two ridges, eachconnecting the optical structure to a supporting structure; wherein theridges are implemented to effect, by heating the ridges, deformation ofthe ridges and a movement of the optical structure with regard to areference plane; wherein the at least two ridges comprise a first layerand a second layer that are deflectable differently in relation to oneanother; wherein the optical structure comprises a layer, wherein thelayer of the optical structure and the first layer of the ridges areformed of the same material; wherein the optical structure comprises afurther layer, wherein the further layer of the optical structure andthe second layer of the ridges are formed of the same material; whereinthe layer of the optical structure and the first layer of the ridges areintegrated and the further layer of the optical structure and the secondlayer of the ridges are integrated; wherein the supporting structurecomprises a portion of the ridge material, wherein the movement of theoptical structure with regard to the reference plane counteracts athermally induced change of an optical characteristic of the opticalstructure; and wherein the first layer and the second layer comprisedifferent coefficients of thermal expansion.
 2. Apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the first layer extends from the optical structure tothe supporting structure, and wherein the second layer completely coversthe first layer.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the firstlayer and/or the second layer comprise a constant or varying thickness.4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the thickness of the firstlayer and/or the second layer varies continuously at least across partof the length, or wherein the thickness varies discontinuously. 5.Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two ridges compriseat least one further layer that is differently deflectable in relationto the first and second layers.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the longitudinal center line of the ridges intersects an opticalaxis of the optical structure or runs past an optical axis of theoptical structure.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising one orseveral heating elements that are arranged on or in the ridges. 8.Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical structure comprisesone or several optical elements.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the optical element comprises transparent, reflecting orabsorbing areas.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the opticalelement comprises a lens, an asphere, a free-form area, a diffractivestructure, a mirror, a prism or a lens array comprising identical ornon-identical cells, each implemented as a lens, an asphere, a free-formarea, a diffractive structure, a mirror or a prism, or a combination ofthe same.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising at least onefurther optical structure, wherein the further optical structure isarranged with regard to the optical structure, so that their opticalaxes essentially coincide.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein afurther supporting structure is adhered to the supporting structure. 13.Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one further opticalstructure is arranged at the supporting structure or the opticalstructure via further structures.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 13,wherein the further structures are arranged at the further opticalstructure by adhesive.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein thefurther optical structure comprises a glass layer and at least oneoptical element mounted on the glass layer.
 16. Apparatus according toclaim 1 comprising: an annealable adhesive arranged between the ridgesand the supporting structure, wherein the adhesive is effective tocause, after its annealing, a predetermined orientation of the opticalstructure with regard to the reference plane.
 17. Method for producingan apparatus comprising an optical structure with at least two ridges,each connecting the optical structure to a supporting structure, themethod comprising: forming the ridges by providing a first layer and asecond layer, such that the first layer and the second layer aredifferently deflectable in relation to each other, in order to effect,when heating the ridges, a deformation of the ridges and a movement ofthe optical structure in relation to a reference plane; providing anoptical structure comprising a layer and a further layer, such that thelayer of the optical structure and the first layer of the ridges areintegrated and are formed of the same material, and such that thefurther layer of the optical structure and the second layer of theridges are integrated and formed of the same material; and providing thesupporting structure, such that the supporting structure comprises aportion of the ridge material; such that the movement of the opticalstructure with regard to a reference plane counteracts a thermallyinduced change of an optical characteristic of the optical structure;and such that the first layer and the second layer comprise differentcoefficients of thermal expansion.
 18. Method according to claim 17,comprising: arranging a curable adhesive between the ridges and thesupporting structure; and curing the adhesive to effect a predeterminedorientation of the optical structure in relation to the reference plane.19. Method according to claim 18, wherein curing the adhesive comprises:adjusting a curing temperature or curing period depending on a desiredtilting or a desired distance of the optical structure in relation tothe reference plane.
 20. Method according to claim 19, wherein theadhesive comprises a UV-curable adhesive.